VALLEY CITY, N.D. (SMP-St. Raphel) – SMP-St. Raphael has been recognized as a 2024 recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) for its commitment to improving the lives of residents through quality care. This distinction is the first of three progressive award levels through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program. The Program honors providers across the nation that have demonstrated their dedication to enhancing the quality of care for our nation’s elders and individuals with disabilities.

St. Raphael has had a long-standing commitment to quality through participation in the AHCA Quality Award program. In fact, we are proud to have been previous recipients of the Bronze and Silver Quality Awards, says Maren Gemar, CEO/Administrator. We’ve embarked upon renewing this program at St. Raphael.

This recognition of quality is a testament to each person on our team who is called to provide care at St. Raphael. We have a true culture of quality improvement and are looking forward to what lies ahead!

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is a rigorous three-level process reviewed and evaluated by trained experts against a set of nationally recognized standards for organizational excellence. The standards of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program help organizations achieve superior performance over time to improve the quality of life and care of long term care residents. Providers begin the quality improvement journey at the Bronze level, where they
develop an organizational profile detailing among other elements their vision, mission, key customers, and key strengths and challenges. Bronze applicants must demonstrate the use of a performance improvement system. Trained examiners review each application to determine if a center has met the demands of the criteria. As a recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality award, St. Raphael may now move forward to the Silver – Achievement in Quality award criteria.

“Receiving this award marks the beginning of an exciting journey towards excellence,” said Cathy Bergland, AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board Chair. “Congratulations to SMP-St. Raphael for this significant achievement. I encourage you
to take some time to celebrate and continue striving for higher levels of quality and performance.”

The National Quality Awards will be presented during Delivering Solutions 24, the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, October 6-9, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.