THA Awards of Excellence

The CEO of Distinction Award recognizes leadership and service by an individual member to THA during their entire career, not for a single act or contribution. It also recognizes achievements and contributions to the healthcare industry. Nominees must be employed as a chief executive officer by an institutional member of the association for a minimum of six years, which must be documented in the nomination (does not need to be at the same institution).

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) citing contributions, achievements, honors, etc., to THA, their institution, and healthcare in Tennessee.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters in support of the nomination. One letter must be from the institution’s board chair. One letter may also be from an individual not employed by or directly associated with the nominee’s employer. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

The Senior Executive of Distinction Award recognizes leadership and service by individuals in support of THA member hospitals and health systems. Individuals in the c-suite are eligible for this award, including chief operating officers, assistant or associate administrators, vice presidents, chief nursing officers, chief medical officers, etc. Nominees must be employed by a THA member hospital or health system for a minimum of four years (does not need to be at the same institution). This award recognizes individual contributions to the work of member institutions of THA or the association.

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this individual deserves recognition, including contributions to the healthcare industry, employer, association, professional organizations, and community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters in support of the nomination. One letter must be signed by the institution’s CEO. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

The Trustee of Distinction Award recognizes active or recently retired members of the board of directors or associate/advisory board of a THA member institution. They must have served as hospital or health system trustees for a minimum of four years.

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this individual deserves recognition, including contributions to the healthcare industry, employer, association, professional organizations, and community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters in support of the nomination. One letter must be signed by the institution’s CEO. Other letters may be from a board member colleague and/or from an officer or member of the medical staff. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

The Nurse Leader of Distinction Award recognizes outstanding contributions in nursing by a registered nurse employed at a THA member hospital or health system in the position of nursing director, manager, supervisor, clinical educator, case manager, nurse manager, or leader responsible for quality initiatives and improved patient outcomes. Areas of achievement to be considered include quality improvement, innovative retention and recruitment proposals, cost reduction initiatives, and leadership abilities. Please note, CNOs should be nominated in the Senior Executive of Distinction category. Nominees must be employed by a THA member institution for a minimum of four years (does not need to be at the same institution).

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this individual deserves recognition, including contributions to the healthcare industry, employer, association, professional organizations, and community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters supporting the nomination. One letter must be signed by the institution’s CEO. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if the electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

The Clinical Nurse of Distinction Award recognizes outstanding contributions by registered nurses who contribute directly at the point of care and/or bedside nursing at a THA member hospital or health system. Areas of achievement to be considered include outstanding or exemplary bedside patient care, serving as a role model for colleagues, mentoring new staff, serving as a patient advocate, being proactive in making recommendations, and supporting of process improvements on behalf of improved outcomes for patients. Nominees must be employed by a THA member institution for a minimum of four years (does not need to be at the same institution).

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this individual deserves recognition, including contributions to the healthcare industry, employer, association, professional organizations, and community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters supporting the nomination. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this individual deserves recognition, including:
  • A description of specific quality and patient safety activities and projects this individual has led, implementation strategies used, and outcomes achieved.
  • Data and graphs demonstrating improvements are encouraged and do not count against the narrative page limit.
  • Quality and patient safety activities may include activities with the Tennessee Center for Patient Safety, organizational culture changes to support safety, and other contributions to the healthcare industry, the individual’s employer, the association, professional organizations, and community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters supporting the nomination. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

The Community Health Impact Award recognizes an organization or individual for demonstrated impact on the health and well-being of a community. This award honors efforts that improve community health, expand access to care, or address barriers that affect health outcomes. Eligible recipients may include hospitals, primary care practices, post-acute providers, community health organizations, or individuals whose work has resulted in measurable improvements in community health or patient access. When a nominee is not a THA member, the nomination should describe the collaboration with a THA member hospital/health system and the shared impact achieved. Nominees are not required to be THA members; however, all nominations must be submitted by a THA member. Individual nominees must be employed by an eligible institution for a minimum of 4 years (does not need to be at the same institution). 

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this organization or individual deserves recognition, including contributions to the healthcare industry, employer, association, professional organizations, and community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee(s).
• Two to three letters in support of the nomination. One letter must be signed by the institution’s CEO. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if the electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.

The Organizational Excellence Award recognizes an individual for excellence in advancing overall organizational performance and effectiveness. This award honors innovation and commitment to continuous improvement by strengthening operations, workplace culture, patient satisfaction/care, strategic execution, or other key priorities. Improvements and excellence can be demonstrated in any area including - but not limited to - workforce development, finance and revenue cycle, facility management, environmental services, supply chain, information systems, and communications. Nominees may work in any department or area of the organization and may be at any level or job classification. Nominees must be employed by a THA member institution for a minimum of 4 years (does not need to be at the same institution). 

• A detailed narrative (2 to 5 pages) describing why this individual deserves recognition, including contributions to the healthcare industry, employer, association, professional organizations, and/or community.
• A current curriculum vitae or narrative biography of the nominee.
• Two to three letters in support of the nomination. Letters must be signed and may be scanned if electronic signatures are not available.
• A high-resolution JPEG or PNG photograph of the nominee suitable for publication. Photos will not be shared with the review committee.