Event Detail


WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

KHCA/KCAL, in partnership with several state affiliates of the American Health Care Association, presents a SILVER Quality Award virtual workshop series to help you better understand the Silver Award application criteria, scoring, and strategies for a successful 2026 application submission.

ABOUT THE AWARD

​The second step in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is the Silver – Achievement in Quality Award. Recipients have three years to apply from the year they receive the Bronze Award. At the Silver Award level, applicants continue to learn and develop effective approaches that help improve performance and health care outcomes. The Silver criteria, based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework, provide applicants with a thorough assessment of how their organization works, its effectiveness and tools for improvement in their approaches.

This workshop is about more than an award; besides gaining a better understanding of what examiners are looking for and how to use the award criteria as an improvement tool, you will learn how to use the award process to focus, align, and accelerate your performance excellence efforts thus becoming a high-performing organization.

SUGGESTED PARTICIPANTS

Suggested participants for this workshop are Administrators or Executive Directors and Directors of Nursing, along with other leadership team members – including owners. A team approach is the most effective method to develop your application in a manner that makes it your “management document” and not just an award application.

LEARNER OBJECTIVES

  1. Gain an understanding of the value of moving from Bronze recognition to Silver.
  2. Understand the Silver technical requirements and criteria.
  3. Develop a basic understanding of the scoring guidelines.
  4. Learn the skills of how to describe approaches and processes in response to the criteria questions.
  5. Understand how to effectively present results to manage the organization.
  6. Take advantage of the opportunity to receive help with your specific application questions.

FACULTY

Cathy Bergland has 15 years of experience with the Baldrige Performance Excellence Criteria and has served at Presbyterian Homes & Services (based in Minnesota) since 1986 in various roles, most recently in the area of Leadership Development. She is also with CB Leadership Group, a consulting and training organization focusing on leadership development, intercultural competence, and performance excellence. Cathy received her undergraduate degree in Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, her MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and is also a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. She has filled adjunct faculty positions with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Health Care Administration) and Bethel University (MBA Program). She is a Qualified Administrator (QA) for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).

Cathy currently sits on the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board and also serves the program in roles of Judge, Trainer, and Independent Examiner.

VIRTUAL EVENT

This workshop will be held virtually on Zoom from 1 - 4 on the following dates:

  • Part 1: August 8
  • Part 2: August 13
  • Part 3: August 20
  • Part 4: September 3

Participation in all sessions is required. Sessions will be held from 1-4 pm CT. Participants will be required to participate on video and audio.

Links will be sent to participants prior to the first meeting.

BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

  • Review your Bronze application and have a copy with you
  • Review the eligibility requirements in the 2026 Silver Criteria and Application document to ensure you are eligible to apply
  • Have a copy of the 2026 Silver Achievement in Quality Award Application & Criteria

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

  • Registration is limited to KHCA/KCAL members and is no cost and registering for session 1 enters your for all 4 sessions
  • Register all participants from your building individually with their own email addresses
  • Participation in this workshop does NOT guarantee award/renewal receipt by AHCA/NCAL