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Methodist Medical Center Wins Top State Award for Quality (January, 1998)
Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, a member organization of Covenant Health, is the first hospital to receive the Tennessee Quality Governor's Award, the highest state award for quality that a Tennessee organization can receive. Gov. Don Sundquist presented the award to George Mathews, Methodist president and chief administrative officer, Monday, January 12, 1998 in Nashville.
Two other Covenant Health organizations also received Tennessee Quality Awards. Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center in Sevierville applied for and received a Tennessee Quality Achievement Award, which is the second highest award level. Covenant Health's Human Resources division applied for and received the Quality Commitment Award, the third highest level of the award.
"I'm proud and thrilled that Methodist Medical Center received the Governor's Award and that Covenant Health organizations have been recognized for high standards of quality and process improvement," said Alan Guy, Covenant Health president and chief executive officer.
"We strive for quality not because we want to win awards, but because it's the right thing to do for our patients and our communities. But having our efforts acknowledged by the highest authority in the state is icing on the cake. I'm very grateful for the work that employees have done at Methodist and Sevier and in our human resources division to bring us this level of recognition."
The Tennessee Quality Award program began in 1993 to encourage business, industry, and other organizations in the state to achieve "world class standards of excellence through quality management practices," according to program officials. A total of 114 organizations applied for awards in 1997. Methodist received the Tennessee Quality Achievement Award, which is one level below the highest award given - The Governor's Award - in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996.
"We are extremely pleased to receive the prestigious Governor's Award," said George Mathews, Methodist president and chief administrative officer. "It reflects the extensive, ongoing quality improvement efforts we began in 1989."
Employees from throughout the medical center play a critical role in Methodist's quality improvement program, Mathews said. Through their participation in numerous quality teams, Methodist employees and management have made improvements that resulted in shorter waiting times for patients, improved pain control, better cost control, and a stronger emphasis on the privacy and dignity of patients and their families, he noted.
"We know that quality isn't a destination," he added. "It's an ongoing process that will continue to be important at Methodist Medical Center."
The Tennessee Quality Award program is patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards, which are recognized as the national standards of excellence for quality and productivity. It is open to all businesses, industry, governmental agencies, and public and private education institutions in the state.
A board of Tennessee Quality Award examiners assessed the Covenant Health organizations in such areas as leadership, customer satisfaction, quality improvement, strategic planning, human resource management, and information and analysis. The examiners, who included experts in process improvement from business, industry, trade, and professional organizations, conducted a site visit and made recommendations to the judges who made final award selections.
What's New? January, 1998