Heidi King from the Department of Defense Honored by the National Patient Safety Foundation
WASHINGTON, DC, May 21, 2009 - The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) today awarded their 2009 Chairman’s Medal to Heidi King, Director of the Department of Defense (DoD) Healthcare Team Coordination Program and Acting Director of the DoD Patient Safety Program.
“The NPSF Chairman’s Medal is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated an ability to inspire, lead change for safer health care, and create a culture of respect, learning, and positive team dynamics,” said Diane C. Pinakiewicz, President of the National Patient Safety Foundation. “With strategic vision, a compassionate focus on the patient, and relentless determination, Heidi King has been a major force in advancing patient safety.”
King’s efforts have resulted in the internationally-successful TeamSTEPPS™ (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety), an evidence-based system aimed at optimizing patient outcomes and promoting a culture of team-driven care. In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, TeamSTEPPS was developed to establish interdisciplinary team training systems to serve as the foundation for patient safety strategy. Since its launch in 2006 in the public domain, over 1700 trainers/coaches in the DoD and 930 master trainers through the AHRQ TeamSTEPPS National Implementation Project are assessing, planning, training or sustaining TeamSTEPPS in their organizations. From October 2007 to February 2009, the collaborative effort has grown to astounding numbers -- an estimated 35,000 trained and in varying phases of implementation.
Under her leadership, the TeamSTEPPS initiative has received widespread recognition from The Joint Commission, the National Quality Forum, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the National Patient Safety Foundation.
King’s ground-breaking work on this patient-focused campaign has touched the lives of thousands – not only patients and care delivery teams, but also the many talented individuals who have served under her leadership.
“Heidi has an ability to bring together many talented, influential professionals and motivate them to work jointly toward a common goal, and the results have been extraordinary,” commented Ms. Pinakiewicz.
The NPSF Chairman’s Medal was presented to Ms. King at the 2009 NPSF Patient Safety Congress in Washington, DC.
About the National Patient Safety Foundation
The National Patient Safety Foundation®is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has been diligently pursuing one mission since its founding in 1997 – to improve the safety of the healthcare system for the patients and families it serves. NPSF is unwavering in its determined and committed focus on uniting disciplines and organizations across the continuum of care, championing a collaborative, inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach.
