Quality and Patient Safety Awards

The Wisconsin Hospital Association is excited to announce the opening of the application process for the 2026 Excellence in Quality and Patient Safety Award program. This annual recognition celebrates hospitals and health systems across Wisconsin for their outstanding efforts to improve patient care, safety and outcomes.

Why Apply?

Participating hospitals will benefit from:

  • Statewide media coverage showcasing your organization’s achievements
  • Recognition at WHA’s annual awards banquet, celebrating the winners in each category
  • An opportunity to present your project storyboard at the 2026 Advocacy Day Quality Poster Showcase in February

This is your chance to share your story, inspire others and highlight the meaningful work your team is doing to advance health care quality and safety.

Excellence in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Award

The Excellence in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Award recognizes hospitals that demonstrate exemplary improvements in quality, patient safety and outcomes

Award Classifications

Four hospitals will be awarded based on these categories:

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals:

1 - Critical Access Hospital - 1 to 25 beds

1 - General Medical Surgical Hospital - 26 to 99 beds

1 - General Medical Surgical Hospital - 100 beds and greater

Specialty Care Hospital

1 - Psychiatric/Behavioral Health, Long-term Acute Care, or Rehabilitation Hospital

Topic Examples

  • Patient and family engagement
  • Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health
  • Access to care
  • Behavioral Health
  • Maternal child health
  • Transitions of Care across the continuum
  • Engage Partners and community in care
  • Supporting Healthcare Worker resiliency

Eligibility

  • Hospital must be a member of the Wisconsin Hospital Association
  • Multiple applications per organization are welcomed

Note: Previous award winners are not excluded and can apply each year.

Apply Now

Please click the button below to complete the required applicant contact information form.

Application Deadline: Friday, November 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. (CT)

We look forward to celebrating your innovation and impact!

Apply Now


2025 Excellence in Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety Award Winners

HealthPartners Collaboration-Amery Hospital & Clinic, Hudson Hospital & Clinic and Westfields Hospital & Clinic 

HealthPartners Collaboration-Amery Hospital & Clinic, Hudson Hospital & Clinic and Westfields Hospital & Clinic

HealthPartners Collaboration-Amery Hospital & Clinic, Hudson Hospital & Clinic and Westfields Hospital & Clinic won for Swing Bed Optimization (Critical Access Hospital 1-25 Bed Category)

Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital

Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital

Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital won for Improving Mortality Index (General Medical Surgical Hospital (26-99 Bed Category)

Aurora Medical Center - Summit

Aurora Medical Center-Summit

Aurora Medical Center - Summit won for Age-Friendly 4Ms Implementation – Improving Care and Patient Experience for Older Adults (General Medical Surgical Hospital 100+ Bed Category)

UW Health Rehabilitation Hospital 

UW Health Rehabilitation Hospital

UW Health Rehabilitation Hospital won for Neurological Physical Therapy Program (Specialty Hospital Category)

Honorable Mentions

WHA would also like to recognize nominations that received honorable mention. The 2025 Excellence in Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety Award honorable mentions are:

Critical Access Hospital 1-25 bed size category:

  • River Falls Area Hospital for Safety First Enhancing Patient and Staff Safety Through Tiered Huddles
  • Burnett Medical Center for Always Ready Rounding: Enhancing Patient Safety and Survey Preparedness

General Medical Surgical 26-99 bed size category:

  • Froedtert Holy Family Memorial for Capitalizing on Evidence-Based Practice to Reduce the Three C's (CLABSI, CAUTI, CDIFF)
  • Aurora Medical Center - Washington County for Enhancing Older Adult Care: Reducing Readmissions and Improving Patient Satisfaction

General Medical Surgical 100+ bed size category:

  • Aurora Medical Center - Grafton for Enhancing 4Ms Care for Older Adults on Med Surg 3 at Aurora Grafton
  • Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - St Joseph Campus for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Management-Reduce Readmits by 20%
  • Bellin Hospital for Initiate Compassion Transition Huddles to Decrease Readmissions

Congratulations to all the 2025 WHA Quality Award recipients, honorable mentions and nominees.