Naval Medical Center San Diego’s (NMCSD) nursing and obstetrics departments received patient safety awards from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Military Health System (MHS) high-reliability in healthcare awards program 2019.

The patient safety award recognizes high-reliability organizations (HROs) that enhance a culture of safety, reduce harm, enhance patient experience and safety through education, promote teamwork and awareness, and reduce healthcare-acquired conditions.

“NMCSD is one of nine [patient safety award] winners for the category, ‘emergency checklists: improving outcomes in obstetric emergencies,’” said Capt. Juliann Althoff, NMCSD’s chief medical officer. “This award is well deserved and reflects the staff’s commitment and dedication to patient safety. We strive to provide the highest quality healthcare to our beneficiaries.”

Althoff said that the awards program supports the development of systems and processes that promote a safer, higher quality system, and a culture that encourages learning, sharing and continuous improvement.

Commendation of this year’s award winners also resonated from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED).

“The staff’s commitment to safety and demonstration of the DOD’s values is inspiring,” said Carmen Birk, BUMED’s risk manager. “The winners [of MHS’s advancement toward high-reliability in healthcare awards] will be formally recognized at the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States’ (AMSUS) meeting at the end of this year.”

AMSUS is a professional association of healthcare professionals serving in the active and Reserve components of the uniformed services of the United States, as well as the DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Their annual awards program recognizes the contributions of federal healthcare professionals.

NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.

Visit www.navy.mil/local/sd/ or www.facebook.com/NMCSD for more information.

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy Facebook or Twitter.

For more news from Naval Medical Center San Diego, visit www.navy.mil/.