Carilion Recognized as a National Quality Leader

Keeping our patients safe is our highest priority, and it takes all of us working together to make sure they have the best possible outcomes. Thanks to collaboration among many disciplines, departments and teams, we continue to see success in improving our patients’ experience and how they view their quality of care – and we’re being recognized nationally for our dedication and commitment to quality.

Carilion was recently honored by the American Hospital Association as a Quest for Quality award finalist. The AHA Quest for Quality Prize is presented annually to recognize exceptional health care leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health in America’s communities. 

Our nearly year-long application process began in the fall of 2023 with the submission of a 35-page application document that detailed our commitment to quality care and improvement, promoting safety and zero harm, innovation, health equity and strengthening our overall community.

Carilion was then among a handful of hospitals selected for a site-visit by the AHA Quest for Quality Committee in March 2024.

“During this just six-hour visit, we were able to tour inpatient and outpatient care areas and engage with staff, meet with community partners and with senior and executive leaders throughout the system, show off tangible examples of our innovation and showcase our commitment to quality and process improvement,” says Ashli Semones, Quality Management Director, Outcomes and Mortality, and a lead organizer in the application process.

Just a month after the visit, we were notified that we had been chosen as a finalist and would be honored at the AHA Leadership Summit in July.

“All of our work, progress and success stems from multidisciplinary team collaboration,” says Dr. Suzy Kraemer, Chief Quality Officer. “We bring everyone together, sharing knowledge for every endeavor.”

What We’ve Done

Over the past few years, we’ve made significant advancements to enhance our quality of care. Here are a few examples:

• Added physician-appointed quality medical directors in most clinical departments to lead their teams’ outcomes
• Implemented a system-wide mortality program
• Added Associate Chief Quality Officer Dr. Jake Gillen, who oversees the Mortality Program
• Implemented a huddle model that features midday huddles to discuss access to care and quality improvement

“Since restructuring, we’ve seen marked quality improvements that have outpaced even our own expectations, including reduction of hospital acquired infections and preventable harm following a surgical procedure," says Dr. Kraemer.

In less than two years of implementing our mortality program and mortality review committee, mortality rates have improved by more than 50%.

“For me personally, applying for this award was an incredible experience in reflection and celebration of the care provided to our patients every day and the work that our collective teams do to improve our patient outcomes and the well-being of our community,” says Ashli. “Being honored as a finalist is truly a system-wide Carilion Clinic award to celebrate our dedicated teams.”