Alaska Skilled Nursing Facilities Receive National Quality Awards
AnnaStills | Envato
Two Alaska facilities earned national performance awards for long-term care services. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) gave its Silver Achievement in Quality award for 2023 to the Denali Center in Fairbanks, and the Cordova Community Medical Center received the Bronze Commitment to Quality award.
First Silver in Alaska
Denali Center is a ninety-bed skilled nursing facility that offers short- and long-term care. It is operated by Foundation Health Partners, which also runs Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, and the center is connected to the hospital by a corridor.
Denali Center is the first Silver award ever in Alaska, progressing from Bronze last year. This year, sixty-three skilled nursing care centers, eight assisted living communities, and one combined skilled nursing/assisted living providers in twenty-seven states achieved that level of quality. AHCA/NCAL has not yet announced Gold awards for 2023.
Cordova Community Medical Center is among 394 providers in forty-seven states that achieved the Bronze Award this year. The distinction is the first of three progressive award levels through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program recognizing organizations that meet progressively rigorous standards of performance to improve the lives of residents and staff in long term care.
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“Cordova’s team is tremendously proud to accept the AHCA/NCAL Bronze Quality Award,” says Dr. Hannah Sanders, CEO at the center. “This recognition reinforces the hard work and relentless dedication our director of nursing, Daniella Rossi, put in to lead the team. We are honored to be recognized and will continue striving to meet the highest standard for those entrusted to our care.”
Under the National Quality Award Program, providers begin the improvement process at the Bronze level, where they assess their organization’s mission, vision, and key factors that lead to success. Trained examiners review each application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria.
“Earning this award is a milestone to be proud of,” says Cathy Bergland, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board Chair. “It’s at this point that providers see what is possible by committing to the process of improvement. Congratulations to all this year’s recipients. I encourage you to continue your journey to the next level.”
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The Alaska Hospital & Healthcare Association (AHHA) highlighted the Cordova center’s entry into the quality improvement pathway. “AHHA is incredibly proud of the leadership and all of the staff at Cordova Community Medical Center for completing this important first step of this national quality improvement program,” says Connie Beemer, AHHA’s vice president of post-acute care and finance. “The dedication and commitment to delivering high quality care for the Cordova community is inspiring.”
Alaska facilities that AHCA/NCAL recognized with the Bronze award previously include Providence Transitional Care Center in 2018, Sitka Long Term Care in 2019, Providence Valdez Medical Center and Prestige Care and Rehabilitation Center in 2020, and Providence Extended Care in 2021.
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