Overview

Demonstrating leadership, implementing organizational change and increasing patient, employee and physician satisfaction are achievements worth celebrating. Press Ganey’s Success Story Award recognizes clients whose creative approach to overcoming the challenges to such achievements has led to improved delivery and quality of care.

All Press Ganey clients, from every sector of health care, are eligible to apply. Improvement programs and initiatives may pertain to units, departments, freestanding facilities or entire organizations. Raw scores are NOT a factor in determining award winners.

Our panel of judges reads and evaluates each initial submission and chooses finalists who are asked to submit expanded submissions. These expanded submissions are read by our judges who select six winners to receive the Success Story Award. Winners will be invited to present their stories at the Press Ganey National Client Conference in Orlando, Fla., Nov., 14-16, 2010.

We encourage you to answer the Call for Submissions, describing what your facility has done to surpass the expectations of internal and external clients and the resulting outcomes. The benefits of winning include:

• An engraved award for public display in your facility
• The opportunity to present at the 2010 National Client Conference
• Recognition on Press Ganey’s web site and other media 
• 100 lapel pins to share with your staff
• A media kit for promoting award status
• Your narrative included in our annual award book and on our web site
   

Important Dates

Selection Criteria

This year we have made some changes to the initial submission process to help you focus on the areas of your program that are most important in the evaluation process. Instead of asking you to submit your story in narrative form, we are asking you to give a brief overview of your program or initiative and answer five questions. To avoid timeout issues on your computer, it is highly recommended that you type your answers into a Word document before you begin the process and then copy and paste your answers into the online form. Please note that each answer field is limited to 800 characters (approximately 150 words). The examples listed within each question are not all inclusive, but are merely representative. 

1. Give a brief description of your improvement program or initiative. (Example: After an examination of service scores which hovered in the single-digits, we committed to major changes to improve service. All nursing staff were trained on key words, how to introduce themselves and explain procedures. Staff implemented hourly patient rounds to check on the patient’s comfort and to keep the patient informed during the visit. ED physicians and nurses committed to making post-discharge phone calls to a percentage of patients.)
2. How were Press Ganey resources/solutions used in your improvement program or initiative? (Examples of resources/solutions include: Solutions Starters, infoEDGE, Online Forum, guidance of your Press Ganey Improvement Manager)
3. How was your Press Ganey data used in your improvement program or initiative? (Examples: tracking, trending, reports)
4. What were the measurable outcomes of your improvement program or initiative? (Examples: ROI, reduced turnover, improved employee satisfaction)
5. Success is a team effort. How did you obtain buy-in and sustain support from staff, supervisors and/or upper management?
6. What were the creative, innovative or unique aspects of your improvement program or initiative? (We are looking not only for new ideas, but also for unique and creative approaches to any challenge, even those thought of as common or universal within health care.)

Your answers will be read by our selection panel. If your initial entry is one of the finalists selected, you will be notified by phone and asked to prepare an expanded submission. The selection panel will review the expanded submissions to determine the six Press Ganey Success Story Award winners.

Application Process

1. Go to http://www.pressganey.com/cs/industry_awards/success_story_award/submit_online

2. Fill out contact and facility information.

3. Copy and paste your answers. To avoid timeout issues on your computer, it is highly recommended that you type your answers into a Word document before you begin the process and then copy and paste your answers into the online form. Please note that each answer field is limited to 800 characters (approximately 150 words).

4. Read the release form and check the box to confirm your acceptance of the terms.

5. Review your entry and click the submit button*.

6. You will receive a confirmation email that your entry has been received.

*If you are unable to submit your entry online, you may email your submission in Word format (no PDFs please) to Cathi Kennedy at ckennedy@pressganey.com.