Research Highlights
Robert W. Carey Organizational Excellence Awards Announced
November 16, 2004
from the September / October 2004 issue of VA VAnguard magazine
Applicants for this year's
Robert W. Carey Organizational
Excellence Awards presented
a serious challenge for
judges trying to select the
most quality-oriented organization
in VA-the competition
was too close to call.
In the end, judges announced
a tie for the department's top quality
award, the Carey Trophy.
The award is based on the
Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Award used by organizations
around the world
to improve efficiency and
performance.
Sharing the trophy are
the VA Clinical Research Pharmacy Center in Albuquerque,
N.M., and the
White River Junction, Vt.,
VA Medical Center. Both organizations
were honored
Sept. 30 during a ceremony
in Washington, D.C.
The clinical pharmacy
center has a staff of 80 who
manufacture, package and
distribute pharmaceuticals.
They have dominated the
Carey award health care category
in the past, winning in
2001, 2002 and 2003. This
year they grabbed the top
award by relying on a proven
system that emphasizes quality
products, employee development,
teamwork and
safety.
The White River Junction,
Vt., VA Medical Center
is a 60-bed facility with active
research and education
programs. The center provides
inpatient and outpatient
care to approximately
23,000 veterans in Vermont
and four bordering counties
in New Hampshire.
Like the clinical pharmacy
center, the White River
Junction VAMC has a record
of excellence in the Carey
award program. The center
won Carey achievement
awards in 2002 and 2003.
The experience helped lay
the groundwork for reaching
the top award. The medical
center follows four strategic
themes for success: excellence
in clinical care and scholarship;
maximizing financial
resources; community stewardship;
and promoting a
healthy workforce and work
environment.
The Carey program also
recognizes category and
achievement award winners. The Amarillo, Texas, VA
Health Care System was this
year's category winner.
Achievement awards were
presented to the Durham,
N.C., VA Medical Center,
the Michael E. DeBakey VA
Medical Center in Houston,
and the Riverside, Calif., National
Cemetery.
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