AMDA Foundation Announces 2015 QI Award Winners

Press Release

Care Settings/Types, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care, Post-Acute Care, Quality, Improvement, Rehabilitation, Transitions of Care

April 14, 2015

Contact:

Perry Gwen Meyers, pmeyers@amda.com

Columbia, MD - The AMDA Foundation presented its 2015 Quality Improvement Awards during the AMDA—The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Annual Conference 2015, held in Louisville, KY, March 19-22. Foundation Board Chair Paul Katz, MD, CMD, presented the honors during the opening General Session on Friday, March 19.

The Quality Improvement & Health Outcomes Award (QIHO) is designed to recognize programs implemented by medical directors and care teams that have demonstrated quality improvement and enhanced the quality of life for their residents. This year, the recipient received a $1,000 award and presented his project at an educational session held during AMDA’s 2015 Annual Conference. The 2015 recipient of the AMDA Foundation Quality Improvement & Health Outcomes Award is:

Zachary Palace, MD, CMD, Medical Director at Hebrew Home at Riverdale, Bronx, NY, for “Development of an Outpatient Transfusion Program to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations.”

The Quality Improvement (QI) Awards are designed to encourage the development of innovative projects that help make a distinct impact on the quality of post-acute/long-term care. These awards support initiatives that focus on staff education, quality improvement programs, research on interventions and treatment, and health literacy to directly enhance the quality of care provided to patients in this setting. Each recipient receives a $3,000 award and will present their project findings at AMDA’s 2016 Annual Conference. The 2015 recipients of the AMDA Foundation Quality Improvement Awards are:

Phyllis Gaspar, PhD, RN, National Director of Research and Development for The Goodman Group (The Commons on Marice), Chaska, MN, for “Implementation of the Prevention of Avoidable Hospitalizations for Assisted Living Facilities: A Pilot Study.”
Arif Nazir, MD, CMD, Associate Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine and Medical Director for Westpark Rehab & Nursing Facility; Gina Couch, Administrator, Westpark Rehab & Nursing Facility, Evansville, IN, for “POISe-Care: A Unique Model for Rehabilitation Patients.”

Dr. Palace lauded the value of these quality awards toward moving forward on initiatives that can improve care. He said, “Improving the quality of care to the elderly is a fundamental cornerstone of the practice of geriatric medicine. An important aspect of quality improvement involves rethinking current practices and seeking ways to bring about changes.”

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The AMDA Foundation is an independent not-for-profit organization. The Foundation's mission is: “The AMDA Foundation advances the quality of life for persons in post-acute/long-term care (PALTC) through inspiring, educating and recognizing future and current health care professionals." Visit the AMDA Foundation at www.amdafoundation.org.

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About AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine is the only medical specialty society representing the community of over 50,000 medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other practitioners working in the various post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings. Dedicated to defining and improving quality, we advance our mission through timely professional development, evidence-based clinical guidance, and tireless advocacy on behalf of members, patients, families, and staff. Visit www.paltc.org for more information.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2023

Contact: Ellen Mullally
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About JAMDA

JAMDA is the official journal of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. JAMDA publishes peer-reviewed articles including original studies, reviews, clinical experience articles, case reports, and more, on all topics more important to post-acute and long-term care medicine. Visit www.jamda.com for more information.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2023

Contact: Ellen Mullally
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 17, 2023

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 28, 2023

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This study was conducted by researchers at Athabasca University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Get more information on the findings above and more details about the study. To contact the researchers or JAMDA editors for an interview, please email emullally@paltc.org.

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