The Quality Award Program’s intent to apply (ITA) deadline is approaching on November 15, 2022. The Program team encourages applicants who plan to apply for a 2023 Quality Award to submit an ITA by logging in to the Quality Award Portal before the deadline. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will save money on their overall application fee.

All Skilled Nursing Facilities and Assisted Living Facilities are encouraged to submit the intent to apply.  If you are just starting, you should apply for the Bronze level award. Applicants are provided with the tools and resources they need for continuous im​provement in quality care.  . Through the Bronze criteria, based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, applicants will assess their organization’s mission, vision, and key factors that lead to success. At this award level, utilizing the criteria questions applicants develop an organizational profile for their center.

WHCA/WiCALhas had 3 Skilled Nursing Facilities and 1 Assisted Living Facility awarded the Bronze Award in 2022.and 30 Skilled Nursing Facilities and 4 Assisted Living Facility awarded the Bronze Award in the last 3 years.  Once you have your Bronze Award, you have 3 years to apply for the Silver Award.

The second step in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award. 

At the Silver Award level, applicants continue to learn and develop effective approaches that help improve performance and health care outcomes. The Silver criteria, based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, provide applicants with a thorough assessment of how their organization works, its effectiveness, and tools for improvement in their approaches

WHCA/WiCAL has had 1 Skilled Nursing Facility awarded the Silver Award in 2022 and 9 Skilled Nursing Facilities awarded the Silver Award in the last three years.  Once you have your Silver Award, you have 3 years to apply for the Gold Award.

The final step in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award. Recipients of the Gold Award are considered the best of the best in the profession.

​At the Gold Award level, applicants must show superior performance in areas of the criteria including leadership, strategic planning, and customer and staff satisfaction. By completing the Gold level criteria, organizations take their quality journey to a higher level through the valuable feedback received in the application process and thereby reaching organizational goals. Gold applicants address the Baldrige Excellence Framework in its entirety.

Applicants are required to receive the Bronze – Commitment to Quality and Silver – Achievement in Quality​ Awards before applying at the Gold level.

Only 20 Facilities in the country have achieved the Gold Level Quality Award in the last 5 years.

WHCA/WiCAL has not yet had any facilities achieve that level of award.  Maybe 2023?

Remember these important dates:

• November 15 by 7 pm Central Time – Intent to Apply deadline
• January 26, 2023 by 7 pm Central Time – Application deadline

Contact Jena Jackson at jena@whcawical.org with questions or to discuss the Quality Award Process.