(Washington, D.C.) — The District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA) has awarded the 2011 DCHA Patient Safety Award to Georgetown University Hospital’s Center for Patient Safety. The prestigious award recognizes individuals or teams from a DCHA member who demonstrate exceptional commitment to improving the culture of safety in an institution.

As he presented the award to GUH's chief medical officer Stephen Evans, MD at an awards dinner on October 19, DC Councilmember and chair of the Council’s Committee on Health David A. Catania said, “The DCHA Patient Safety Award is presented as a way of recognizing the high priority safety and quality care taken in the day-to-day activities of our hospitals. DCHA is very proud to present this year’s award for outstanding efforts to the Georgetown University Hospital Center for Patient Safety.”

Georgetown University Hospital successfully launched a Center for Patient Safety (CPS) to hardwire responsibility for patient safety throughout the Hospital. The CPS membership includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists and other clinical and non-clinical Hospital leaders, who have led many initiatives that have enhanced the culture of patient safety at GUH and heightened awareness of patient safety at all levels of the organization.

Among the many CPS initiatives is a mandatory safety curriculum that was developed and implemented to ensure that all residents, fellows, medical students, associates, patients and family members are properly educated on patient safety and what that means at Georgetown. Today, more than 600 physicians, 400 students and 1,000 nurses have attended these ongoing sessions.

Marianne Worley
703-558-1287
[email protected]

Patient Contact: 202-342-2400