Award for Excellence in Teamwork in Quality Improvement

In addition to the four Awards of Excellence presented every year, SHM introduced in 2008 the Excellence in Teamwork in Quality Improvement Award. Unlike the individual award recipients, this award is presented in recognition of exemplary quality improvement initiatives in Hospital Medicine that engage the full patient care team. The award is intended to highlight outstanding team approaches to implementing interventions that improve patient care and safety. SHM encourages submission of all multidisciplinary team projects, but is particularly interested in projects related to the Core Competencies in Hospital Medicine and SHM's Quality Improvement Resource Rooms. Preference will be given to those team projects which demonstrate excellence in successfully implementing quality improvement interventions.

Recipients of the Excellence in Teamwork in Quality Improvement Award receive recognition at HM11, complimentary registration for all team members, and travel reimbursement for team members up to $3,000 to include hotel, airfare, and transportation to/from the meeting.

Eligibility for Award

An SHM-member-led, hospital-based, quality improvement team:

An SHM member must be an integral part of the team
Team members may also include healthcare professionals in the outpatient setting
The team must be multidisciplinary and include at least one non-hospitalist health care worker or provider

* While the nomination will come from an individual, the project and submission must focus on the team

Current SHM Board members and Officers as well as SHM Awards Committee members are not eligible

Criteria for Evaluation

Submissions may be related to any aspect of quality improvement and each submission will be judged using the following criteria:

Broad-Based Participation & Team Approach

Projects should demonstrate involvement of members from various healthcare delivery and support disciplines. The team, not an individual, should be the focus of the project

Scope and Magnitude

Projects should address patient safety issues of considerable scope and magnitude, and with consideration for the patient population affected and the project's risk reduction potential (i.e., potential impact on the frequency and/or severity of harm).

Measurability

The impact of the project should be measurable and sustainable. Measures may be leading or lagging, evidence-based or consensus-based indicators of success including those related to structure and process, with a bias toward those that demonstrate a change in outcomes.

Transferability & Development of Portable Implementation Guidelines or Tools

Projects should lend themselves to being replicated at other institutions, with an emphasis on solutions that are practical, relevant, and cost-effective.

Nomination Requirements & Information (nominees may be self-nominated)

All submissions require the following:

Completed Nomination Form, addressing the specific criteria that are the basis for evaluation of the team being considered, and to include

A complete listing of the individual team members and their professional backgrounds. Information about the team and/or process not included in the abstract, including:

The nature/process of the collaboration, roles of team players, and how the program improved system processes and patient outcomes (include process and outcomes measures)
The innovative aspect of the collaborative approach
The portability/transferability of the intervention to other institutions

Abstract

Limited to 2,500 words (abstracts greater than 2,500 words will not be accepted)
To include:

Background
Detailed methods addressing

How the team worked together
How goals were attained
How did local culture affected the process and outcomes

Results & Conclusions

Results should clearly define how data was collected, and who collected it

Data should be presented in tabular or graphic format

At least one, but no more than two, letters of support from a senior hospital administrator (Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Director of Quality Improvement or equivalent leader) from the institution where the project was implemented (if more than two letters are submitted, team lead nominee will be contacted to specify which should be considered: letter should indicate if confidentiality of content is waived)
Up to two letters may also be submitted from other institutions that have adopted the intervention (if more than two letters are submitted, team lead nominee will be contacted to specify which should be considered: letter should indicate if confidentiality of content is waived)
Disclosure statement indicating any direct, indirect or pending project or faculty support from sources outside the home institution

This award represents the finest teamwork throughout the United States hospitalist community, and is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your hospital or institutions' "best" to your colleagues and peers.

Click here to download the Nomination Form

Related Sections

Award for Excellence in Teamwork in Quality Improvement

Excellence in Research Award

Award for Excellence in Hospital Medicine

Award for Outstanding Service in Hospital Medicine

Award for Excellence in Teaching

Award for Clinical Excellence

Satellite Symposia

Satellite Symposia are being held throughout the conference, in conjunction with Hospital Medicine 2011. All registrants are invited to attend and earn additional CME.

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