AHA Quest for Quality Prize

2025 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Honorees Announced

Congratulations to 2025 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Hartford HealthCare, Hartford, Conn. Hartford HealthCare and Quest for Quality Prize Finalist CommonSpirit Health, Chicago, were honored at the AHA Leadership Summit in Nashville.

To learn more about this year's honorees, watch the celebratory video and download the honoree booklet.

Apply Now for the 2026 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Award

The AHA Quest for Quality Prize honors hospitals and health systems committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health. Applicants should provide access to exceptional quality, safe and patient- and family-centered care, partner with community organizations and agencies to improve the health status of their communities, and develop new and innovative models of care.

Submit an Application

One winner and up to two finalists will be recognized. The AHA Quest for Quality Prize Committee also may present Citations of Merit to other noteworthy programs. The awards will be presented at the 2026 AHA Leadership Summit, July 12-14, in Denver.

Applications are due noon Central Time, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.

Contact the Quest for Quality Team with questions.

Readiness

How do you know if your organization is “ready” to apply?

The quest for quality is a journey without end; you should apply if your organization is striving to

Raise awareness of the value of a hospital-wide/system-wide commitment to advancing health in America by providing access to exceptional quality, safe, and patient- and family-centered and affordable care that promotes individual and community well-being and adds value to lives
Showcase successful efforts to develop and promote new and innovative models of care, services and collaboration to provide seamless care
Inspire hospitals and systems to lead and partner with other community organizations to improve health status and address health care disparities
Recognize hospital and system leadership to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care

Hospitals and systems tell us that going through the application process was valuable in and of itself — it led to amazing discoveries about their own organization, their dedicated teams, and their best practices and innovation.

All health systems and hospitals in the United States are eligible to apply for the award. A “system” is defined as two or more hospitals owned, leased, sponsored or contract managed by a central organization. “System” shall refer to the parent organization and “hospital” shall refer to the system’s individual hospitals. Depending on your organization type, you have the option of selecting the “Hospital” or “Health System” application.

Please email questforquality@aha.org with any questions about the prize.

AHA Quest for Quality Prize Sponsor

The AHA Quest for Quality Prize is generously sponsored by Laerdal Medical. Laerdal Medical is a global leader in immersive education, training, and simulation solutions with a mission of helping save lives. Improving the quality of care is part of the company’s vision and its goal of helping save one million lives, every year, by 2030. For more information, visit www.laerdal.com.

Leading for Safety: AHA Quest for Quality Series

The AHA Patient Safety Initiative presents Leading for Safety, a virtual series featuring insights from past Quest for Quality awardees. This series explores how health care leaders can drive safer, higher-quality care by fostering a culture of safety and innovation. Combining the prestigious Quest for Quality Prize with the AHA’s Patient Safety Initiative, Leading for Safety provides practical strategies for executive leadership in advancing patient safety.

View Video Series

Share Your Improvement Journey

Be recognized as a national quality leader. The AHA Quest for Quality Prize honors hospitals and health systems committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health. Applicants should provide access to exceptional quality, safe and patient- and family-centered care, partner with other community organizations and agencies to improve the health status of their communities and address disparities, and develop new and innovative models of care.

The AHA Quest for Quality Prize will honor one winner, up to two finalists and up to two Citation of Merit recipients.