WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) announced Janet Snipes, Executive Director of Holly Heights Nursing Center, as the 2019 recipient of the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award. Snipes is recognized for her contributions to quality in long term and post-acute care.
“Janet’s work with federal regulators, payors, and providers to improve quality outcomes in this profession has made a national impact,” said Mary Ousley, AHCA Quality Cabinet Co-Chair and namesake of the award. “This award recognizes individuals who embrace quality as a central focus of their work, and Janet does just that. It’s an honor to recognize her for her commitment and dedication.”
For more than 30 years, Snipes’ entire career has been devoted to driving quality improvements and reshaping federal policy to improve national quality outcomes. Snipes was an early champion of the pursuit of quality outcomes and is known statewide for mentoring others to do the same. In 2018, under Snipes’ leadership, Holly Heights earned the AHCA/NCAL Gold Quality Award. As Chair of the Colorado Health Care Association Board of Directors, Snipes was a pivotal part of creating a Pay for Performance model, which incentivizes providers to lean toward quality outcomes to meet and exceed national quality goals. Sharing the success of the Colorado model nationally helped encourage other states to adopt similar structures.
Her national commitment to quality has shown through her contribution of time, serving as a member of the AHCA Survey Regulatory Reform Workgroup, Chair of the AHCA Survey & Regulatory Committee, Chair of the Quality Improvement Committee, Co-Chair of the Quality Cabinet, and a member of the AHCA Board of Governors.
Each year, AHCA/NCAL presents the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award to an individual that has made significant national contributions to advancing quality performance in long term and post-acute care. Recipients display leadership in the development, promotion, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives that have resulted in measurable outcomes.
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.
ABOUT AHCA/NCAL
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 13,700 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and development 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.