For Immediate Release

Local Contact: Kevin Wallior; 208-780-1300

July 16, 2019

Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston Earns 2019 Silver National Quality Award

Lewiston, ID – Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston has been recognized as a 2019 recipient of the Silver– Commitment to Quality Award for its commitment to improving the lives of residents through quality care. The award is the second of three distinctions possible through the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award Program. The program honors association members across the country that have demonstrated their dedication to improving quality of care in long term and post-acute care for seniors and persons with disabilities. The Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston was the only facility in the state to receive this prestigious award.

"I am once again honored and humbled to be working with such fine individuals. The staff at the Idaho State Veterans Home -Lewiston are responsible for this prestigious award as their day-to-day attention to detail helps our veterans receive the high-quality care that they so richly deserve," said Mark High, Administrator of Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston.

The National Quality Award Program, established by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, is based on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, which also serves as the foundation for the metric-based AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative. The Baldrige framework helps organizations among different business sectors improve organizational effectiveness and achieve strategy-driven performance.

Idaho Division of Veterans Services Chief Administrator Marv Hagedorn praised his team saying, "We have excellent leadership in all three of Idaho Veteran's Homes, Mark's achievements with his team in Lewiston sets a high bar that we can all strive to exceed!"

"The Lewiston Home team is incredibly deserving of this award as it is a good representation of their commitment to excellence," added Deputy Chief Administrator Tracy Schaner. "All our team members work consistently each day, 24/7, to ensure the highest level of quality and person-centered care is being provided to our veterans and their families. We are very proud of our Lewiston team and we are honored to be recognized for the work we do."

The Award Program has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. At the Silver Award level, applicants continue to learn and develop effective approaches that help improve performance and health care outcomes. The Silver criteria, based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, provide applicants with a thorough assessment of how their organization works, its effectiveness, and tools for improvement in their approaches. The Silver level gives a clear pathway for recipients moving to the highest honor of recognition, the Gold – Excellence in Quality Award. As a recipient of the Silver - Commitment to Quality Award, Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the Gold - Achievement in Quality Award criteria.

“These recipients are making a difference for their residents and communities,” said Alana Wolfe, Chair of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers. “This award level shows that these providers are setting and reaching quality goals, and I commend them for this outstanding achievement.”

The 2019 program is sponsored by AHCA/NCAL Associate Business Members: First Quality, NRC Health, Team TSI Corporation, and MatrixCare. Recipient organizations will be honored during AHCA/NCAL’s 70th Convention & Expo, October 13-16, 2019 in Orlando, Florida.

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ABOUT Idaho State Veterans Home – Lewiston

Established in 1994 the Lewiston Veteran's Home was built on the philosophy of supporting the hardworking, rural values of our clients. Our professional staff takes pride in being there to assist residents with a full range of financial, social, spiritual and skilled nursing care needs. Our North Idaho Veteran’s organizations provide generous support to the Home. For more information, please visit https://veterans.idaho.gov/veterans-homes/lewiston-veterans-home/

ABOUT AHCA/NCAL

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represent more than 13,600 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org or www.ncal.org.