In a rare accomplishment for a U.S. health system, Memorial Hermann was nationally recognized for awards in multiple categories by the American Hospital Association (AHA) – notably for its commitment to quality, employing innovation in palliative and end-of-life care and for improving community health. Memorial Hermann will be the only Houston health system recognized at the Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego July 17-19.
Earning 2016 AHA honors were: Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital – finalist for the 2016 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize® for their leadership and innovation in quality improvement and safety; the Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation Mobile Dental Program – presented the AHA’s NOVA Award for its efforts to improve community health; and the Memorial Hermann Physician Network and Symptom Management Consultants, the recipient of the AHA’s Circle of Life Citation of Honor for utilizing innovation in palliative and end-of-life care.
“This type of national recognition by the American Hospital Association is a testament to the visionary leadership at Memorial Hermann and the dedicated and collective efforts of staff and physicians to deliver great care daily to the Houston community,” said Dr. Benjamin K. Chu, president and CEO, Memorial Hermann Health System. “It truly demonstrates how our innovative programs are comprehensively serving the community with high quality and safe patient care at our hospitals, employing compassion in end-of-life care and decisions, and helping those most in need with our mobile dental program. All Memorial Hermann employees and physicians should be extremely proud of this wonderful milestone that few systems in the United States have or will achieve.”
Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital – McKesson Quest for Quality Prize® Finalist
At the hospital level, Memorial Hermann Greater Heights was the only Houston hospital to earn recognition as an AHA McKesson Quest for Quality finalist attaining that distinction by demonstrating a tireless “organizational commitment to and progress in achieving quality, safety and effective, efficient, timely and patient-centered care” – the criteria required to be met to even be considered for the award.
“I am so very proud that Greater Heights was selected as a finalist for the 2016 McKesson Quest for Quality Award,” said Susan Jadlowski, Sr. Vice President & CEO, Memorial Hermann Greater Heights. “We have worked diligently to foster a culture of safety so that every family that leaves a loved one in our care can feel secure in the knowing that their care is the most important thing to us. Our staff is dedicated to our mission of causing zero harm to our patients. We work daily to encourage it and our staff fully embraces the goal to be the safest hospital not only in the Greater Heights community, but in the Houston region.”
Rick Pollack, AHA’s president and CEO, applauded McKesson Quest for Quality Award winners and finalists saying: “These hospitals have made remarkable strides in the quality of their patient care and they did so because they were committed to excellence. The entire hospital field can learn from the lessons demonstrated by the hard work of these hospitals, their boards and employees.”