NAMES IN THE NEWS
Joint Commission Opens 2025 Award Applications
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
The Joint Commission of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, has opened the application period for the 2025 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards, presented in partnership with the National Quality Forum (NQF), and the 2025 Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity, presented in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, according to a release. The application period for both awards closes March 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm CT. There is no cost to apply for either award.
Eisenberg Awards
Each year, The Joint Commission and NQF present the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards to recognize outstanding achievements by individuals and organizations across all healthcare settings that contribute to better care, healthy people and communities, and smarter spending. Awards are presented in three categories:
- National Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality
- Local Level Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality
- Individual Achievement
Initiatives eligible for the national and local level awards must demonstrate, at minimum, 12 months of data supporting the improvement made by the featured initiative, according to the release.
Launched in 2002, the awards honor the late John M. Eisenberg, MD, former administrator of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. An impassioned advocate for healthcare quality improvement, Eisenberg was a founding member of NQF’s board of directors, according to the release.
The 2024 Eisenberg Awards winners will be announced this spring.
Tyson Award
The Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente present the annual Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity to recognize healthcare organizations and their partners that led initiatives to achieve a measurable, sustained reduction in one or more health disparities.
All types of healthcare organizations that directly deliver care and have addressed disparities for any vulnerable population, including but not limited to race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or socioeconomic status, may apply, according to the release. In their application, organizations must provide data demonstrating how they improved a healthcare disparity.
Launched in 2021, the award honors the late Bernard J. Tyson, former chairman and chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente. Tyson worked tirelessly to address the disparities that plague the US healthcare system, according to the release.
The 2024 Tyson Award winner was Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center for its initiative that improved disparities for Black patients with heart failure.
Applying for the Awards
Links to the applications for both awards are on The Joint Commission’s website. Application resources, including application criteria and tips, for each award are available on the Eisenberg Awards and Tyson Award webpages.
Applicants looking to apply for more than one award must complete separate applications to be considered, according to the release.