2009 Fine Awards for Teamwork Excellence in Health Care

Three local medical teams were recipients of the Second Annual Fine Awards for Teamwork Excellence in Health Care during a reception at Heinz Hall on November 17.

Sponsored by The Fine Foundation, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) and the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, the Fine Awards were established to reinforce the critical role teamwork plays in health care by recognizing local healthcare teams who have achieved breakthroughs in patient safety and quality care.

"Breakthroughs are happening every day on the frontlines of patient care," said Milton Fine, president and CEO of The Fine Foundation. "These awards shine the spotlight on those often overlooked achievements and highlight the dramatic improvements our region is making to the healthcare system."

A distinguished national selection committee chose this year's three top winners out of nearly 40 applications that were submitted last June. The committee narrowed the field to 14 finalists and then selected the top three.

"More than a decade ago, JHF formed the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative and developed the Perfecting Patient CareSM methodology to illustrate how industrial process improvement principles can be used by healthcare teams on the frontline of care to increase quality, reduce errors, and improve safety," said Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD, president and CEO of JHF. "This year's winners, and all of our finalists, are proof that if teams of people work together on a common goal, they can make a significant difference in our healthcare system."

The 2009 Fine Awards for Teamwork Excellence in Health Care:
  • Gold Award Winner

    St. Clair Hospital
    Improving Patient Flow in the Emergency Department

  • Silver Award Winner

    UPMC St. Margaret
    Beyond the Bedside – Reducing 30-day COPD Readmissions

  • Bronze Award Winner

    Heritage Valley Health System
    Reducing Vesicant Drug Extravasations