LEWISTON – St. Marguerite d’Youville Pavilion in Lewiston is one of 153 long-term care facilities in 36 states that have earned a Quality Award from the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living for demonstrating a strong commitment to continuous quality improvement.

All of the facilities that applied for the 2007 Step I Quality Award addressed how they integrated the elements of systematic continuous quality improvement into their operations. As a Step I recipient, d’Youville Pavilion demonstrated its organizationwide commitment to a person-centered mission, defined its principal customers and their expectations, and indicated how it is striving to meet their needs.

The AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards are comprised of three levels: a first-level Step I award; a more rigorous Step II award; and a comprehensive Step III award. In 2007, 140 facilities were recognized with the Step I award and an additional 13 facilities received the Step II award.

AHCA/NCAL’s Quality Award was created in 1996 and is modeled after the criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s premier award recognizing distinguished achievements. AHCA/NCAL’s award is designed to support both continuous quality improvement efforts in long-term care by promoting quality awareness and education and to recognize quality achievements. The national award is sponsored by McKesson Corp., a leading provider of healthcare products, and My InnerView Inc., a Wisconsin-based applied research firm specializing in long-term care.

A ceremony for award recipients will be held during AHCA/NCAL’s annual convention and exposition Oct. 7-10 in Boston.