The President’s Award was established to recognize the exceptional efforts underway throughout Providence Health System to reach higher levels of operational excellence. Providence Alaska is part of the four-state West Coast Providence network of hospitals and long-term care, assisted living, and housing facilities.
Projects submitted for consideration covered a wide range of quality and clinical improvements in patient care, customer service, and financial stewardship.
The Surgical Infection Prevention Project was honored specifically for bringing about a dramatic decrease in the rate of post-surgical infections. Key physicians from multiple disciplines, along with dozens of management, nursing and other staff, engaged in the two-year project as part of a national collaboration sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and QUALIS Health.
“It’s an honor to recognize our Providence Alaska colleagues,” said John Koster, MD, President/CEO of Providence Health System. “The outstanding work accomplished by the project team benefits patients, clinicians, and caregivers not only at Providence Alaska, but throughout the Providence system as we share these best practices.”
Providence Alaska team members include Gary Welch, RN, ACNE; Barbara Chen, MD; Peter Jensen, MD; Burton Janis, MD; Paula Case, RN; Kelley Foreman, RN; Rose Timmerman; Kim Mynes-Spink, RN, Director, Infection Control; Elaine Reale, PharmD; Marilyn Bergman, RN; Betty Gwaltney, RN, Director, Outcome Improvement, and Karen Atherton from QUALIS Health.
The award was presented by Koster during the Learning Forum on Operational Excellence held for Providence executives in Skamania, Washington, April 18-21.
Two other Providence facilities also received 2004 President’s Awards, including Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital in Hood River, Oregon, for its “Simply the Best” Service Excellence Project and Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, California, for its Cardiovascular Performance Improvement Task Force. Read more from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement 
From left to right: Gary Welch, RN, ACNE; Betty Gwaltney, RN, Director, Outcome Improvement; Jim Nesbit, MD; Elaine Reale, PharmD; Peter Jensen, MD; Kelley Foreman, RN; Paula Case, RN.
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