2016 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Nominations Sought

Submissions for individual, local and national projects open through Oct. 31

The Joint Commission (@TJCommission) and the National Quality Forum (NQF) (@NatQualityForum) invite nominations through Oct. 31 for the 2016 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The application is available here.

The awards annually recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations across the country in all health care settings to improve patient safety and health care quality. Nominations are being accepted in three categories:

• Individual Achievement: Individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and scholarship in patient safety and health care quality through a substantive body of work.
• National-Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality: The focus of the project or initiative is implemented nationwide. Original projects or initiatives involve successful system changes or interventions that make the environment of care safer, or advocate on the patient’s behalf. These innovative projects or initiatives may address new technologies, protocols and procedures, education, organization culture, legislation, the media, patient advocacy, and systems theory.
• Local-Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality: The project or initiative focuses on impacting at the local community, organization or regional level (e.g., statewide). Technologies, protocols and procedures, education, organization culture, legislation, the media, patient advocacy, and systems theory all represent opportunities for inclusion in the award.

More details and the online nomination form are available online. Awards will be presented April 4, 2017, during NQF’s annual conference.

Launched in 2002, the awards honor the late John M. Eisenberg, MD, MBA, former administrator of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. An impassioned advocate for health care quality improvement, Dr. Eisenberg was a founding member of NQF’s board of directors. The awards bring together the quality community to honor groundbreaking initiatives that are consistent with the aims of the National Quality Strategy: better care, healthy people and communities, and smarter spending.

Past award winners developed programs to substantially reduce re-admissions, decrease hospital-acquired infection rates and improve safety culture in the workplace. Learn more about the 2015 John M. Eisenberg Award recipients.

The Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

The National Quality Forum
The National Quality Forum leads national collaboration to improve health and healthcare quality through measurement.