The 2004 Gold Award for Association Excellence was presented to the Tennessee Association for Healthcare Quality on Monday, September 20, 2004, at the NAHQ Annual Conference held in Orlando Florida. The National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) Award for Association Excellence recognizes the state healthcare quality association that provides exceptional membership services and benefits in promotion of healthcare quality and patient safety. The NAHQ Award for Association Excellence is awarded annually on a three-tier system of gold, silver, and bronze (beginning in 1997). Each state association application is assessed on the state’s achievement of its established goals and objectives, the quality of its newsletter, the quality of its educational programs, and the state membership's involvement in NAHQ.

With it’s mission to improve health care quality and patient safety through the development and support of initiatives designed to enhance the expertise of healthcare quality professionals, and a vision to be recognized as Tennessee's premier source of expertise in healthcare quality and patient safety, TAHQ represents a diverse group of healthcare professionals specializing in quality/performance improvement, patient safety, case management, utilization review, infection control, and risk management. Employment venues include hospitals, home care agencies, nursing homes, managed care organizations, and consulting firms. TAHQ has over 130 members from all areas of the state. TAHQ is an affiliate of the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA). Healthcare quality professionals are advocates for safe, clinically sound, cost-effective, and customer-friendly patient care.

The NAHQ Award for Association Excellence is based on the following:

·     achievement of goals and objectives consistent with, and supportive of, NAHQ, which are directed toward development of the state association and its members, in the promotion of healthcare quality and patient safety;

·    quality of the newsletter in informing and educating members about issues relevant to healthcare quality and patient safety;

·    quality of the educational programs sponsored by the association;

·    state membership’s involvement in NAHQ;

·    support of CPHQ certification, National Healthcare Quality Week, and the Healthcare Quality Foundation (HQF); and

·    publication and poster contributions of individual members within the state organization