National Healthcare Quality Week

National Healthcare Quality Week

National Healthcare Quality Week was established by the National Association of Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) in 1985. Its purpose is to recognize and celebrate the contribution of healthcare quality experts in their various organizations. National Healthcare Quality week is held on the third week of October. NAHQ holds a week-long celebration in collaboration with groups dedicated to improving healthcare quality. For this reason, wear a purple enamel awareness ribbon pin, fabric ribbon, or purple silicone awareness wristband bracelet to recognize this annual event.

In 1985, NAHQ received a letter from President Ronald Reagan supporting Healthcare Quality Week. In 2009, NAHQ started their first-year partnership with Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). This partnership celebrated Healthcare Quality Week. One year later in 2010, NAHQ members had access to free patient resources during Healthcare Quality Week. This was due to a partnership with the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ).

History of National Healthcare Quality Week

NAHQ was first known as the National Association of Utilization Review Coordinators. Founded in 1976, Frank Demuth, the executive director of The Healthcare Management Institute, conceived of a professional organization for healthcare workers. The organization responded to the 1972 Bennett Amendment on the Social Security Act. This act required healthcare organizations be accountable to the government for the money that was provided to them for healthcare delivery. Taking it a step further, Demuth’s vision included engaging with organizations and professionals to ensure that they were providing the very best patient care and outcomes possible at the time.

In 1978, the association changed its name to the National Association of Quality Assurance Professionals (NAQAP). Proving competency development, NAQAP established the first Professional Standards and Credentials Committee. In addition, building the healthcare quality body of knowledge remained the focus of the organization for the rest of the 1970s and 1980s. A seminal moment for NAQAP occurred in 1983 when the very first Certified Professional in Quality Assurance (CPQA) designations, the predecessor to the CPHQ credential, were awarded. The CPQA/CPHQ has continued to be updated and validated. It remains central to supporting NAHQ’s mission.

Growth of the NAHQ

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, NAHQ grew by focusing on education, certification, and membership networking. They continued to promote understanding of quality concepts and enhanced their resources aimed at advancing the professional competency of members. They also worked to improve the quality of healthcare in every setting.

During this time: 

• Healthcare Quality Week was recognized (1984/1985).
• The Healthcare Quality Education Foundation was established (1988/89).
• The CPQA received accreditation from the National Organization for Competency Assurance and still today CPHQ is the only healthcare quality certification to hold independent accreditation status. (1988/89)
• NAQAP changed its name to the National Association for Healthcare Quality reflecting our broadening mission and increasing impact on healthcare organizations as well as healthcare quality professionals. (1990/1991) 

Increasingly, NAHQ has focused on helping healthcare quality professionals drive down delivery costs. This is done while improving patient outcomes. In 2017, NAHQ began to codify and validate professional competencies at a foundational, proficient, and an advanced level. This led to the development of the NAHQ Healthcare Quality Competency Framework and Professional Assessment helping individuals determine where they are in the spectrum of healthcare quality proficiency. It also helps identify skills and knowledge individuals need to develop their career. Encouraged by market adoption of the Competency Framework and Professional Assessment, NAHQ launched Workforce Accelerator™ to support organizations in assessing and up-skilling their workforce so that they are meeting standards of quality and safety on a day-to-day basis.

For 46 years, NAHQ has been leading the healthcare quality profession and developing the supporting body of knowledge.