Cincinnati Children’s Wins 2008 Picker Award For Family-Centered Care

Monday, January 01, 0001

Cincinnati Children’s has received the 2008 Picker Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Patient-Centered Care. The award is given by the Picker Institute, an international nonprofit organization that has pioneered the creation of scientifically valid nationwide surveys and databanks on patient-centered care to educate doctors and hospital staff in how to improve service for their patients.

The award was given to Jim Anderson, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children’s, on Monday Oct. 20 at the International Society for Quality in Health Care Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Anderson was also invited to give a talk and to participate in a panel on family-centered care during the conference.

"I am delighted to accept the Picker Award on behalf of the dedicated staff at Cincinnati Children’s," said Anderson. "We have been committed to providing family-centered care for many years now, even to the point of embedding it in our mission statement. As we’ve made our way on this journey to transform the culture of our organization, we’ve learned that families are the experts when it comes to caring for their children. We value their leadership as we work to design and sustain reliable systems that can consistently deliver safe, quality care."

The Picker Awards for Excellence were established in 2003 to recognize individuals and organizations who have committed themselves to improving the patient experience, whether in a hospital or doctor’s office. "We believe that Cincinnati Children’s efforts have demonstrated, and continue to demonstrate, the ability to make a difference in patient-centered care, which, in turn, improves the overall health care experience for patients," said the late Harvey Picker, founder of the Picker Institute, who died shortly after the awardees were selected.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is one of America’s top three children’s hospitals for general pediatrics and is highly ranked for its expertise in digestive diseases, respiratory diseases, cancer, neonatal care, heart care and neurosurgery, according to the annual ranking of best children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. One of the three largest children’s hospitals in the U.S., Cincinnati Children’s is affiliated with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health.

For its achievements in transforming healthcare, Cincinnati Children's is one of six U.S. hospitals since 2002 to be awarded the American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize® for leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care. The hospital is a national and international referral center for complex cases, so that children with the most difficult-to-treat diseases and conditions receive the most advanced care leading to better outcomes. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org.