New York, NY (June 10, 2021) – The Trustees of The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF) selected Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP, as this year’s recipient of The John A. Hartford Foundation Trustees Award for his decades of dedication to improving health care quality and safety for older adults.
A long-time grantee and partner of JAHF, Dr. Berwick is internationally recognized for his work improving access to and quality of health care for all populations, and especially older adults. He has mentored scores of clinical, academic and organizational leaders on patient safety and led the movement to identify and reduce errors in America’s health care system. He is a former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Recently his work has focused on addressing the moral determinants of health, which include climate change and criminal justice reform, and reducing disparities in health care.
“The John A. Hartford Foundation Trustees Award is meant to highlight excellence in clinical practice, education and improving health care for older adults. Dr. Berwick has devoted his life to serving others, and our health is enhanced because of him and his achievements,” said Margaret L. Wolff, chair of the JAHF board. “Dr. Berwick is an exemplary leader who embodies the Foundation’s values of equity, kindness, integrity and respect.”
JAHF provided a series of three grants to Dr. Berwick that ultimately resulted in the founding of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in 1991. Since its inception, IHI has been a steadfast partner of JAHF, including on the well-known Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative, which aims to ensure that older adults’ health care is based on what matters most to them.
“It is a great honor to give our Trustees Award to such a distinguished leader and close friend who has changed health care in such profoundly significant and beneficial ways,” said Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, JAHF president and former member of IHI’s board of directors. “Don’s work to create a better, more equitable health care system has touched the lives of every person living in America and dozens of other countries around the world. The list of awards and honors bestowed upon him is nearly endless, a reflection not only of the breadth, depth and reach of his work, but of his esteemed and respected place in health care improvement.”
Dr. Berwick led IHI for nearly two decades, during which the organization made strides in advancing patient safety, reducing unnecessary health care costs and improving health care quality. Several reforms in medical practice pioneered by IHI are now standard in the American health care system including guidance on handling patient falls, minimizing medical errors and ensuring the proper use of infusion tubes in intensive care units.
“For many years I have consistently turned to The John A. Hartford Foundation for invaluable collaboration that goes far beyond funding,” said Dr. Berwick. “I look forward to many more years of working with the Foundation to improve care for older adults by increasing access to age-friendly care and decreasing disparities.”
For more information on The John A. Hartford Foundation, please visit johnahartford.org.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Marcus Escobedo, 212-832-7788, marcus.escobedo@johnahartford.org