Launched in 2002 by NQF and The Joint Commission, the patient safety awards program honors the late John M. Eisenberg, MD, MBA, former administrator of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Dr. Eisenberg also was a member of the founding board of directors of NQF.

For 2014, three recipients were selected in three categories. The honorees for national, local, and individual recognition represent numerous achievements in the field of patient safety and quality. They are:

Individual Achievement – Mark L Graber, MD, FACP, senior fellow, Health Care Quality and Outcomes Program, RTI International, for his leadership in bringing the role of diagnostic error to the forefront of the patient safety movement

Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality at the National Level – The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), a nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program designed to measure and improve the quality of surgical care in participating hospitals

Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality at the Local Level – North Shore-LIJ Health System for its work on reducing sepsis mortality

“The efforts of each of the 2014 John Eisenberg award winners to improve the safety, quality, and value of the healthcare experience for patients across the country is an inspiration to the quality field as we work together on our universal goal of ensuring that all patients receive the high-quality, safe care they need and deserve,” said Christine K. Cassel, MD, NQF’s president and CEO.