The International Hospital Federation (IHF) has announced the finalists of the IHF Awards 2023 after scoring entries in all 7 Award categories. This year, more than 500 entries were submitted by hospitals and healthcare organizations from 43 countries/territories – a record number since the Awards commenced in 2015.
The projects and programmes in each category represent the innovation, good practice, and service improvement transforming the healthcare sector across the globe. The IHF Awards recognize and amplify exemplary work that improves the level, quality, and sustainability of healthcare service delivery. Providing an annual showcase of excellence in hospital leadership is one of the core programmes by which the IHF fulfils its commitment to promoting international knowledge exchange.
In 2023, a total of 69 finalists have been shortlisted across the following 7 IHF Awards categories, from which the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be presented, as well as honourable mentions to other exceptional entries in each category.
- Dr Kwang Tae Kim Grand Hospital Award – recognizing hospitals that excelled in the five dimensions of healthcare delivery: health service quality, patient experience, clinical outcomes and health equity, cost efficiency, and workforce wellbeing.
- Seddiqi Holding Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility – acknowledging excellence or outstanding achievements in advancing corporate social responsibility.
- Ashikaga-Nikken Excellence Award for Green Hospitals – honouring hospitals and healthcare organizations promoting sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives.
- Sultanate of Oman Excellence Award for Health Services During Crisis – recognizing exemplary achievements of hospitals and healthcare organizations in developing countries during a time of crisis.
- American Hospital Association Excellence Award for Healthcare Workers’ Wellbeing – recognizing excellence or outstanding achievements in ensuring the wellbeing and sustainability of healthcare workers.
- American College of Healthcare Executives Excellence Award for Leadership and Management – honouring excellence or outstanding achievements in leadership and management in leading a hospital or healthcare organization.
- Mastercard Excellence Award for Quality and Patient Safety – presented in partnership with a new sponsor in 2023 – acknowledging excellence or outstanding achievements in promoting and enhancing quality and patient safety.
The judging process involved an extensive review by members of the Awards Committee, comprising 40 health leaders and senior executives from around the world. The scoring for the 6 Excellence Awards is based on five criteria: originality and innovation; intended impact; adaptability and scalability; scientific rigor; and clarity. For the Grand Hospital Award, entries were scored based on overall success in achieving the five dimensions of healthcare delivery (health service quality, patient experience, clinical outcomes and health equity, cost efficiency, and workforce wellbeing), as well as ability to sustain their success, and achievements.
Dr Lawrence Lai, Chair of the IHF Awards Committee, reflected on the growing impact of the IHF Awards:
| iiiiiiii | “The standing and profile of the IHF Awards has risen each year, with increasing levels of participation, and new countries and territories submitting entries. This growing recognition of the value of the IHF Awards demonstrates that – given this global platform – excellence in any hospital or healthcare organization, irrespective of the origin, can be celebrated, shared, and replicated. Ultimately, learning from the winners can transform health services and improve health outcomes for the benefit of the global community. |
On behalf of the Awards Committee, I would like to sincerely thank all of the hospitals and healthcare organizations who have participated in the Awards programme this year. Noting the very high standard and quality of all submitted entries, we are confident that the winning stories will inspire their healthcare peers around the world. | |
| I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all members of the Awards Committee for their dedication and meticulous work in scoring entries and selecting this year’s very worthy Awards recipients.” |
The 2023 winners will be presented at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on 26 October at the 46th World Hospital Congress in Lisbon (Portugal). An audience of over 500 hospital and healthcare executives from around the globe will gather to celebrate the winning achievements. Recipients of the Gold awards will present their projects and programmes in a special parallel session on 27 October at the Congress.
Ronald Lavater, CEO of the IHF, looked to the future of the IHF Awards programme:
“Firstly, my thanks go to all the hospitals and healthcare organizations who submitted entries this year, and to the Awards Committee members for their careful review. I would also like to express our gratitude to the sponsors of the IHF Awards – we so appreciate their support for this important programme. | |
| iiiiiiii | In 2023, we welcome a new sponsor for the Excellence Award for Quality and Patient Safety, and we are thrilled to have MasterCard join us. In 2024, we will continue to make the IHF Awards bigger and better. With the Awards Ceremony already an unmissable fixture in the World Hospital Congress programme, we have plans to further expand the categories – to share even more outstanding projects with our global network. |
The impact of the IHF Awards can be seen through the eyes of past winners. Dominic Tung, Assistant Director for HR Wellbeing at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore, which won Gold in the Excellence Award for Healthcare Workers’ Wellbeing in 2022, explained:
“The Award is an honour and a testament to the ongoing work that the hospital has undertaken to care for our staff and to ensure their wellbeing, both physically and mentally, as well as their personal safety. It is recognition that the work that I have been doing all these years is something important and worthwhile to both the organization as well as our colleagues. | |
| iiiiiiii | Winning this award reinforces the importance of staff wellbeing, especially in the area of mental and emotional wellness. Staff are now more keen to participate in our programmes, and the leaders are more involved in wanting to take care of their staff. We recognize that actually it’s a collective effort.” |
Dr Khawaja Shehryar Nasir, Assistant Director of Quality and Patient Safety at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Pakistan, which won Gold in the Excellence Award for Health Services During Crisis in 2022, also shared:
“To be recognized for the work that we do at a global scale is quite humbling and gratifying. It means a lot for our organization to be given this award. It is a great pride for us. | |
| iiiiiiii | At this particular platform, being recognized has definitely been quite motivational for us. We want to continue moving forwards. We plan on doing so by collaborating more with IHF and sharing more of what we do with the IHF community.“ |
Source: IHF
