Q: What exactly is the Missouri Quality Award (MQA)?
A: By awarding the MQA, the Excellence in Missouri Foundation honors organizations that focus on continuous quality improvement and an openness for sharing and learning from best practices within the entire health care field in an effort to improve patient care.
Q: What is the judging process like?
A: In May 2010, SSM Health Care – St. Louis administrators submitted an application for the award that detailed strategic planning, customer focus, data management, work force focus and performance improvement. Because of our exceptional application, we were awarded a site visit by the MQA examiners. In September, each SSM Health Care – St. Louis facility received a site visit. The examiners met with numerous staff at each facility including employees, leaders and physicians to determine the depth of quality and excellence at the facilities. Those involved reported on mission, values, principles and quality efforts that make the facilities exceptional.
Q: Why did SSM Health Care-St. Louis win the award?
A: The Excellence in Missouri Foundation honored SSM Health Care – St. Louis for our ability to combine strengths across the seven hospitals by building network-wide services, and developing and achieving a great standard of care for patients. This recognition is due in large part to high employee engagement in the planning and continuous quality improvement processes.
Past MQA Winners from SSM Health Care - St. Louis
2007 - SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center
2006 - SSM DePaul Health Center
2005 -SSM St. Joseph Health Center & SSM St. Joseph Health Center - Wentzville