Washington,
D.C.
— The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living
(AHCA/NCAL) announced
Maryruth Butler,
MBA, NHA, RCA, as the 2017 recipient of the Mary
K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award for her national impact on quality in long
term and post-acute care.
Since 2001, Butler has served as the Executive
Director of Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation-Mountain Valley in Kellogg,
Idaho, which provides skilled nursing and rehabilitation care for patients and
residents. Under Butler’s leadership, Mountain
Valley has been recognized with numerous achievements. Through AHCA/NCAL’s
National Quality Award Program, the center achieved three progressive levels of
awards – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – in 2005, 2007, and 2011, respectively. In
2016, Mountain Valley was the first nursing center to receive the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for
sustainable excellence. For eight consecutive years, the
center has also achieved an overall five-star rating, the highest possible
rating through CMS’ Five-Star Quality Rating System.
“Maryruth’s unwavering
commitment to quality is unparalleled,” said Mary Ousley, AHCA/NCAL Quality
Cabinet Co-Chair and namesake of the award. “Her sustained efforts have
consistently resulted in delivery of outstanding care for those in her center
and surrounding community. I am proud to recognize her this year as a
trailblazer and champion of quality.”
“Now more than ever we need
leaders who are as innovative and visionary as Maryruth,” said Dr. David
Gifford, AHCA Senior Vice President of Quality & Regulatory Affairs. “The
results she has achieved over the years are examples of what can be possible
for everyone inside and outside of our profession nationwide.”
As a licensed Residential
Care Administrator, Butler currently teaches a Residential Care/Assisted Living
Administrator course through the Idaho Health Care Association, and conducts
presentations across the country on topics such as the Baldrige Performance
Excellence Framework and quality improvement.
AHCA/NCAL presents the Mary
K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award to an individual or organization that has
made a significant national contribution to advancing quality performance in
the long term care field. Recipients must consistently advocate for quality
approaches and demonstrate the ability to educate and advocate for a system’s
approach to quality improvement. Recipients also display leadership in the
development, promotion, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives
that have resulted in measurable improvements in the quality of care and
quality of life for individuals in long term care.
In 2011, the Friend of
Quality Award was renamed the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award to honor
the ongoing legacy and commitment to quality care demonstrated by its namesake,
Mary Ousley, a licensed nursing center administrator and nurse who has
dedicated her life to quality improvement programs in long term care.
Butler will be presented with the
award at AHCA/NCAL’s 68th Annual
Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 15-18, 2017.
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for
Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 13,000 non-profit and
proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute
centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to
improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly and individuals with
disabilities who receive long term or post-acute care in our member facilities
each day. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org
or www.ncal.org.