Invigorated by their strong commitment to quality, the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) honored the Benedictine Health System (BHS), Duluth, Minn., at the closing general session of their 60th Annual Convention & Expo, Oct. 7.

AHCA/NCAL recognized BHS with the AHCA Friend of Quality award. The Friend of Quality Award is given to individuals and organizations that have made a special contribution to the quality efforts of the association. BHS is one of the largest Catholic long term care organizations in the United States, sponsoring or managing 60 health care facilities in 40 communities in seven states.

The Friend of Quality Award recognizes the Benedictine Health System’s contributions to quality in long term care with BHS facilities earning six of the nine AHCA/NCAL Step Three Quality awards given nationally to date, including two this year; numerous contributions from staff in the work of AHCA/NCAL; and for serving as a catalyst that inspires others to high performance.

“AHCA/NCAL has long maintained a commitment to quality and I am privileged to honor those who excel in their commitment to quality care and services and thereby enhance the quality of life for our nation’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Rick Miller, chair of AHCA’s Board of Governors.

“The Benedictine Health System is pleased to support the long term care profession’s commitment to quality,” said Dale Thompson, BHS president/CEO. “We are grateful to accept this recognition on behalf of the 6,000 Benedictine Health System caregivers who support our residents and patients daily.”

The AHCA Quality Awards consist of an entry level, Step I Award, a more rigorous Step II Award, and a final Step III Award that mirrors the Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. This year 439 facilities were recognized with the Step I Award, 26 facilities received the Step II Award, and three facilities were recognized for reaching the highest level of performance excellence, Step III.

BHS facilities earning Step III Awards are St. Gertrude’s Health & Rehabilitation Center, Shakopee, Minn. and Madonna Living Communities, Rochester, Minn. Prince of Peace Care Center, Ellendale, North Dakota, received a Step II Award. Step I Awards were presented to Cerenity Senior Care – Humboldt, St. Paul, Minn. and St. Mary’s Manor, Blue Springs, Mo.

“The tremendous growth in participation over the past several years demonstrates that the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program has gained wide acceptance as a useful pathway to achieving performance excellence over time,” said Bruce Yarwood, AHCA/NCAL president/CEO. “The award recipients we pay tribute to today have enriched the lives of residents and staff through their dedication and hard work.”

“We congratulate and thank each Step Award winner for their leadership and contribution to the Benedictine Health System performance excellence agenda,” Thompson added. “All of us at BHS are very proud of each Step Award winner, present and past, for their quality improvement efforts and the care and quality of life delivered every day.”

“Recipients of these awards know that the pursuit of excellence is a continuous journey, and that the satisfaction of residents, families and staff makes the journey worthwhile,” Yarwood concluded. “AHCA/NCAL is proud to recognize the extraordinary efforts of these individuals in the long term care community.”

The awards ceremony concluded the 60th Annual Convention & Expo, held October 4-7, where nearly 3,000 long term care professionals from across the nation gathered in Chicago, IL to learn best practices, network with colleagues, and rededicate their commitment to quality care.

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The Benedictine Health System is a mission-directed and values-based Catholic non-profit health system based in Duluth, Minnesota. Sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery-Duluth, BHS owns and/or manages more than 40 health care facilities in seven states.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) represent nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org or www.ncal.org.