NEW 2010 AWARD NAMES!
- Bronze – Commitment to Quality (formerly Step I)
- Silver – Achievement in Quality (formerly Step II)
- Gold – Excellence in Quality (formerly Step III)
The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program provides a pathway for providers of long term care services to journey towards performance excellence. The program is based on the core values and criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) Program.
The Quality Award program has three progressive step levels. Applications are judged by trained examiners who provide feedback on opportunities for improvement to support continuous learning. Facilities must achieve an award at each level to progress to the next level.
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Bronze – Commitment to Quality (formerly Step I) applicants begin their quality journey by developing an organizational profile including vision and mission statements, an awareness of their environment and customers’ expectations, and a demonstration of their ability to improve a process.
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Silver – Achievement in Quality (formerly Step II) applicants demonstrate a level of achievement in their quality journey through good performance outcomes that have evolved from how they embrace the core values and concepts of visionary leadership, focus on the future, resident-focused excellence, management by innovation, and focus on results and creating value.
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Gold – Excellence in Quality (formerly Step III) applicants must show superior performance over time that is based on their systematic approaches to leadership; strategic planning, focus on customers, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce focus, process management and results. Gold applicants address the complete Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence in Health Care.