About

Healthcare Quality Week History

Healthcare Quality Week (HQW), brought to you by NAHQ, is a dedicated time to celebrate the discipline and raise awareness of the positive impact those working in healthcare quality and safety have in their organizations and communities. Quality has taken center stage and more people working in healthcare quality and safety are being called upon to do this critical work. The discipline of healthcare quality has arrived at the intersection where preparation meets opportunity and healthcare has taken notice. People working in healthcare quality and safety are no longer the best kept secret in healthcare, so show your pride in what you do and what you care about.

Healthcare Quality Week was established by NAHQ in 1985, to recognize and celebrate the contribution of healthcare quality experts in their various organizations. Held on the third week of October each year, NAHQ holds a week-long celebration in collaboration with groups dedicated to improving healthcare quality. In 1985, NAHQ received a letter from President Ronal Reagan supporting Healthcare Quality Week. In 2009, NAHQ started their first-year partnership with Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to celebrate Healthcare Quality Week and one year later in 2010, NAHQ members had access to free patient resources during Healthcare Quality Week thanks to a partnership with the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ).