The Race is on for the Baldrige Award

• 7/1/2010
• Author: Audrie Bretl Roelf
• Category: Benchmark Blog
• 7839 Views
• 0 Comments
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Eighty-three organizations (including 54 health care organizations) are competing for the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the United States’ highest recognition for organizational performance excellence through innovation and improvement. The number of applicants is up 20% over 2009 and marks the fifth consecutive year that there have been 70 or more organizations seeking the award. Additionally, the 54 health care applicants represent the largest number in that category since it was established in 1999.

The 2010 applicants will be evaluated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in the following seven areas:
1. Leadership
2. Strategic planning
3. Customer focus
4. Measurement, analysis, and knowledge management
5. Work-force focus
6. Process management
7. Results

The winners are expected to be announced in late November.

The Joint Commission includes Baldrige Award information in its Quality Check Web site to further illustrate the quality of a given organization. Do you believe including quality award data is useful for consumers when choosing a health care organization? What have been your experiences with quality awards, particularly the Baldrige Award?