SGMC Health Honors HRO Champions with Safe Care Award

SGMC Health recognized its High Reliability Organization (HRO) Champions with the Safe Care Award, celebrating their unwavering commitment to patient safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

The health system's HRO Champions are a cross-section of the organization who serve as dedicated advocates for safety and reliability. They lead by example, promoting high reliability practices and guiding HRO influencers through real-time observation, coaching, and feedback. Their efforts strengthen SGMC Health's culture of safety and help prevent errors and harm.

"These individuals demonstrate exceptional dedication and intestinal fortitude," said Michael Spence, HRO Co-chair and Director of Project Management. "It takes courage to speak up and remind peers about critical safety checks-whether it's confirming a medication cross-check or using STAR (Stop, Think, Act, Review) before lifting a heavy object. Their leadership drives our journey toward a culture of preoccupation with failure."

"It truly is a multidisciplinary team effort," shared Don Luke, HRO Co-chair and Campus Administrator at SGMC Health Smith Northview. "We couldn't do this work without buy-in from leaders and frontline staff across every part of the organization."

SGMC Health's progress in becoming a High Reliability Organization was recently validated at a national conference, where the health system was recognized as a leader among peer institutions. "Changing culture takes time, but these individuals are moving us closer to our North Star: zero harm," shared Pankaj Agrawal, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

President and Chief Executive Officer Ronald E. Dean emphasized the broader impact of this work, stating, "You're not only affecting lives at the bedside through your leadership and your work, but you're also driving the reputation of this organization for excellence and high reliability."

The Safe Care Award is part of SGMC Health's journey to become a High Reliability Organization (HRO), a designation that reflects an organization-wide commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement. Recipients of the award exemplify core HRO principles such as adherence to safety protocols, proactive risk identification, and a commitment to mentoring and knowledge sharing. These individuals exemplify SGMC Health's mission to deliver safe, high-quality care to every patient, every time.

SGMC Health encourages all team members, patients, and community members to recognize acts of excellence in patient safety. Nominations for the Safe Care Award can be submitted at sgmc.org/recognition.