International Hospital Federation Announces 2023 IHF Award Winners

The International Hospital Federation (IHF; Geneva, Switzerland) held its annual Award Ceremony and Gala Dinner on October 26, 2023, to celebrate excellence in hospital and healthcare leadership. The Awards Ceremony was the highlight of the 46th World Hospital Congress, which saw 1500 attendees from over 80 countries and territories. The ceremony was held in Lisbon (Portugal) at the Lisbon Congress Centre in front of an audience comprising 500 international hospitals and healthcare executives.

The IHF recognized the exemplary work of hospitals from 26 countries and territories and their initiatives that enhanced the level, quality, and sustainability of healthcare service delivery. The IHF Awards encourage the exchange of good practices in key areas of healthcare leadership, environmental sustainability, and innovation. Finalists were chosen across the seven Award categories and won Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards as well as honorable mentions in each category.

The Awards Committee, comprising health leaders from across the world and chaired by Dr Lawrence Lai, IHF Honorary Member, received more than 500 entries from 43 countries and territories – marking a record since the establishment of the Awards in 2015. The scoring for the 6 Excellence Awards is based on five criteria: originality and innovation; intended impact; adaptability and scalability; scientific rigor; and clarity. For the Grand Hospital Award, entries were scored based on overall success in achieving the five dimensions of healthcare delivery (health service quality, patient experience, clinical outcomes, and health equity, cost efficiency, and workforce wellbeing), as well as the ability to sustain their success, and clarity. The projects and programs presented in each entry recognize innovative, impactful work in hospitals worldwide. In honoring these achievements, the IHF Awards are a key aspect of the IHF’s commitment to international knowledge exchange by encouraging good practices that enhance the level, quality, and sustainability of healthcare service delivery.

The IHF Awards 2023 recipients in each category are as follows.

Dr Kwang Tae Kim Grand Hospital Award – recognizing hospitals that excelled in the five dimensions of healthcare delivery: health service quality, patient experience, clinical outcomes and health equity, cost efficiency, and workforce wellbeing.

• Gold: Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (United Arab Emirates).
• Silver: King Faisal Medical Complex in Taif (Saudi Arabia).
• Bronze: Apollo Cancer Centres (India).
• Honorable mentions: Al Qassimi Women and Children Hospital (United Arab Emirates), Avenue Healthcare (Kenya), King Khalid Alkharj Hospital, Riyadh 1st Health Cluster (Saudi Arabia), French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (Afghanistan), Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital (Saudi Arabia).

Seddiqi Holding  Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility – acknowledging excellence or outstanding achievements in advancing corporate social responsibility.

• Gold: Myongji Hospital (Republic of Korea).
• Silver: The Nairobi Hospital (Kenya).
• Bronze: Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital (United Arab Emirates), and Yale New Haven Health System (United States of America).
• Honorable mentions: French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (Afghanistan), Manila Doctors Hospital (Philippines), Lusiadas Saúde (Portugal), Amiri Medical Complex (Afghanistan), Mediker LLP (Kazakhstan).

Ashikaga-Nikken Excellence Award for Green Hospitals – honoring hospitals and healthcare organizations that are successfully implementing strategies to reduce their environmental impact, and promote net zero, sustainable, and resilient healthcare delivery.

• Gold: Oulu University Hospital (Finland).
• Silver: Mediclinic Welcare Hospital (United Arab Emirates).
• Bronze: Dubai Health Authority – Dubai Academic Health Corporation (United Arab Emirates).
• Honorable mentions: Aga Khan University (Pakistan), Emirates Health Services (United Arab Emirates), Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital (Egypt), Royal Hospital (Oman), Insel Gruppe (Switzerland), Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Performance and Digital Health, EHS (United Arab Emirates).

Sultanate of Oman Excellence Award for Health Services During Crisis – recognizing exemplary achievements of hospitals and healthcare organizations in developing countries during a time of crisis.

• Gold: Tondo Medical Center (Philippines), and Hope Field Hospital for Women and Children of Bangladesh (Bangladesh).
• Silver: Sheba Medical Center (Israel).
• Bronze: LUX MED (Poland), Eka Kotebe General Hospital (Ethiopia), and Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (Philippines).
• Honorable mentions: People’s Hospital 115 (Vietnam), Apollo Health & Lifestyle Limited (India), Predisan Health Ministry (Honduras), Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (Philippines).

American Hospital Association Excellence Award for Healthcare Workers’ Wellbeing – recognizing excellence or outstanding achievements in ensuring the wellbeing and sustainability of healthcare workers.

• Gold: Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation (Taiwan), and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (United Kingdom).
• Silver: Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (Philippines), and Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata (India).
• Bronze: Saudi German Health (Egypt), Samsung Medical Center (Republic of Korea), and Emirates Health Services (United Arab Emirates).
• Honorable mentions: Emirates Health Services (United Arab Emirates) Intelligence program for healthcare decisions, Jubail General Hospital (Saudi Arabia), Children’s Wisconsin (United States of America), Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (India), Lusíadas Saúde (Portugal).

American College of Healthcare Executives Excellence Award for Leadership and Management – honoring excellence or outstanding achievements in leadership and management in leading a hospital or healthcare organization.

• Gold: Matosinhos Local Health Unit – ULSM (Portugal).
• Silver: Royal Hospital (Oman).
• Bronze: Dubai Health Authority (United Arab Emirates).
• Honorable mentions: Al-Kharj Maternity and Children Hospital (Saudi Arabia), Emirates Health Services (United Arab Emirates), SEHA Kidney Care (United Arab Emirates), Karolinska University Hospital (Sweden), Henry Ford Health (United States of America).

Mastercard Excellence Award for Quality and Patient Safety – acknowledging excellence or outstanding achievements in promoting and enhancing quality and patient safety.

• Gold: Fundació de Gestió Sanitària Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Spain)
• Silver: Hopitaux Universitaires de Genève (Switzerland)
• Bronze: Tan Tock Seng Hospital (Singapore).
• Honorable mentions: Health Information Systems – Emirates Health Services (United Arab Emirates), Fujairah Hospital (United Arab Emirates), Jubail General Hospital (Saudi Arabia), Al Qassimi Hospital (United Arab Emirates), Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Tawam Hospital (United Arab Emirates), King Saud Medical City (Saudi Arabia), China Medical University Hospital (Taiwan), Emirates Health Services (United Arab Emirates).

The Gold winners presented their winning programs and projects in a special parallel session at the World Hospital Congress on October 27. A brochure presenting details of each of the Award-winning initiatives is available to inspire hospital leaders and healthcare professionals around the world. The IHF Awards 2024 will be awarded at the 47th World Hospital Congress to be held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and the call for entries will be announced in February 2024.

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