St. Mary's-Jefferson City Earns Missouri Quality Award
 |
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - (October 22, 2009) St. Mary’s Health Center employees celebrated Thursday upon learning their efforts to provide quality health care had earned them a 2009 Missouri Quality Award. The award, given by the Excellence in Missouri Foundation, honors excellence in areas such as organizational performance, leadership, customer service and satisfaction.
The announcement marked a remarkable turnaround for St. Mary’s. Over a two-year period, St. Mary’s quality of care has risen to among the leaders in the country. A national hospital research organization ranked it in the top 1 percent among 4,400 hospitals in the country, based on data compiled by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and highlighted it as a case study.
St. Mary's was the only health-care organization among this year's three recipients which also included Park Hill School District, Kansas City, and Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis. Since the inception of the Missouri Quality Award in 1992, a SSM Health Care facility has been honored 11 times. St. Mary's will be honored during the 17th annual Excellence in Missouri Conference Nov. 18-20 at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Mo.
In a message to St. Mary’s President Brent VanConia and the hospital's employees, SSM chair/CEO Sister Mary Jean Ryan said:
“Congratulations! I want all of you to know that you have made me and everyone at SSM Health Care so very proud. Winning the Missouri Quality Award is absolutely remarkable, and it is a testimony to how hard you have worked. You have made so much progress in such a short time. You are doing so many things right - and for all the right reasons: our patients and our mission.
“Today we celebrate you for the wonderful work you do to provide exceptional health-care services,” she added. “This is truly a great day for St. Mary's and all of SSM Health Care. To sum it up: You rock!"
VanConia also praised St. Mary’s employees on Thursday.
"As you know, this award is the latest in a growing list of achievements for our organization," VanConia wrote in a message to all employees. "The recognition we’ve been receiving lately tells a story of committed employees and partners who are doing whatever it takes to provide the best patient care anywhere.
“It’s simply outstanding that St. Mary’s has gained so much attention across the region – and the nation – for the amazing performance we’ve been achieving here. Congratulations and thank you for all your hard work and dedication to St. Mary's!"
The Excellence in Missouri Foundation, a not-for-profit educational organization, sponsors the Missouri Quality Award which recognizes excellence in quality leadership. Modeled after the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the award's application process promotes an understanding of the requirements for performance excellence and continuous improvement, and stimulates the sharing of best practices. It is a thorough and rigorous application proces with a review and evaluation by a board of examiners, followed by site visits to only selected locations.
SSM Health Care organizations that have previously earned the Missouri Quality Award include SSM DePaul Health Center, Bridgeton, Mo. (2006); SSM Integrated Health Technologies, Richmond Heights, Mo. (2008, 2005 and 2002); SSM St. Joseph Health Center, St. Charles, Mo. (2005); SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, St. Louis (2004); St. Francis Hospital & Health Services, Maryville, Mo. (2008, 2004 and 1996); and SSM Health Care, based in St. Louis (1999).
St. Mary’s, opened in 1905, is a 167-bed, full-service hospital.
Commonwealth Foundation case study
