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Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) recognized four Kansas hospitals for their leadership and achievement in quality improvement and patient safety during the KHC's annual educational event, Summit on Quality, on May 6.

Labette Health was the sole recipient of the KHC Leadership in Quality Award. The KHC Leadership in Quality Award is presented annually to a facility that reflects KHC's vision for health care that is consistent with the Triple Aim of improving the health of populations, enhancing the experience of patients, and reducing the per capita cost of care.

"This award represents our teams' dedication to providing safe and high quality care to our patients," said Tereasa DeMeritt, RN, MSN, APRN, NP-C, Director of Quality.

Kendra Tinsley, KHC executive director, commended Labette Health's dedication and commitment to Kansans and the communities it serves. She added that KHC recognizes the leadership of individuals and organizations in delivery system transformation and appreciates the investment of time, energy and talent to ensure safe, quality care for Kansas patients.

Success at Labette Health is attributed to empowering front-line employees, practicing transparency, and living their mission of providing exceptional health care. In addition, Labette Health's mission sets the tone for organizational culture and patient-centered care. Labette Health has been active in the CMS Partnership for Patients' Hospital Engagement network and has met or exceeded the reduction of hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and the reduction of 30-day readmissions by 20 percent during HEN 1.0. Patient safety is a top priority.

"Labette Health has the highest national quality rankings of any hospital in Southeast Kansas, and we are truly blessed to have this precious asset in Southeast Kansas," said Brian Williams, FACHE, FACMPE, President and CEO at Labette Health.