This annual award was established to recognize leadership and innovation in patient safety, including public awareness, education and promotion of systems-based solutions through the implementation of best practices.

The 2007 awards concentrated on nominees who demonstrated measurable reduction of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) through the use of evidence-based protocols. Eligible applicants and nominees included facilities, organizations or individuals.

The Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction announced the following winners:

  • Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, MA-for efforts to advance a culture of patient safety within its organization and progress in decreasing central line associated bloodstream infections.

  • Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA-for an effective campaign in improving hand hygiene compliance that resulted in reductions of transmission of HAI.

  • New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA-for implementation of a methicillin- resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) eradication program.

A special individual achievement award was given to Al DeMaria, Jr., MD, Massachusetts State Epidemiologist and Director of the Department of Public Health's (DPH) Bureau of Communicable Disease Control for his long term leadership and commitment towards infection control.

In addition, the following nine facilities/hospital systems received Honorable Mentions for their work related to the reduction of HAI:

  • Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
  • Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
  • Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, MA
  • Cape Cod Healthcare (Falmouth Hospital), Hyannis, MA
  • Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
  • UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA
  • Southcoast Hospitals Group, Fall River, MA

The awards were presented to the recipients by Mrs. Mildred Lehman and DPH Commissioner John Auerbach at the 4 th Annual Patient Safety Conference, Confronting Hospital Infections: A Campaign for Action, held on December 4, 2007.

This information is provided by the Betsy Lehman for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction within the Department of Public Health.