{"id":224,"date":"2026-04-22T16:04:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/?p=224"},"modified":"2026-04-29T15:18:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T15:18:31","slug":"global-top-30-improvers-awards-at-the-international-forum-on-quality-safety-in-healthcare-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/2026\/04\/22\/global-top-30-improvers-awards-at-the-international-forum-on-quality-safety-in-healthcare-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Top 30 Improvers Awards at the International Forum on Quality &amp; Safety in Healthcare 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>To celebrate 30 years of the International Forum, five awards were given out to recognise the achievements of individuals and teams leading improvement in healthcare internationally. A summary of the award winners and their achievements are highlighted below.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rising Star Award Winner: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dalal M. Al-Harbi from Saudi Arabia<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1242\" height=\"2208\" class=\"size-full wp-image-227 alignleft\" style=\"width: 200px;height: 200px;border-radius: 50%;object-fit: cover;object-position: center;box-shadow: none;border: none\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1.jpg 1242w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Dr.-Dalal-AL-Harbi-1-640x1138.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1242px) 100vw, 1242px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This award celebrates an early career leader with a vision to create safer, more dignified care for older adults.<\/p>\n<p>Their work demonstrated deep family engagement and delivers an ongoing clinical impact: reducing the average number of chronic medications by over one-third without any negative clinical outcomes.<\/p>\n<p>Dalal\u2019s leadership approach is grounded in empathy, evidence and collaborative influence, making a real change to people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n<p>On receiving the award, Dalal said: &#8220;Every deprescribed medication is not just a clinical decision\u2014it is a step toward safer, more humane, and truly patient-centered care. It reduces harm and helps give older adults a better quality of life. This recognition is not the end of our journey, but a call to scale human-centered, evidence-driven care that truly makes a difference.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspirational Story Award Winner:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kris Vanhaecht from Belgium<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-full wp-image-230 alignleft\" style=\"width: 200px;height: 200px;border-radius: 50%;object-fit: cover;object-position: top;box-shadow: none;border: none\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Speaker-images-200-x-200-31-1.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Speaker-images-200-x-200-31-1.png 200w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Speaker-images-200-x-200-31-1-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This award recognises an individual who has had a remarkable academic impact at the same time as inspiring his students.<\/p>\n<p>He puts patients at the heart of his approach and has over the years has redefined the boundaries of quality improvement.<\/p>\n<p>He shares his expertise generously and continues to support new generations of practitioners to lead with both rigour and empathy.<\/p>\n<p>On receiving the award, Kris said: \u201cReceiving the BMJ &amp; Institute for Healthcare Improvement Award means a great deal to me. It reflects years of teamwork with students and international colleagues who have become friends along the way. It strengthens my commitment to advancing quality of care &amp; clinical leadership by sharing knowledge, amplifying voices, and further investing in initiatives such as my podcast \u2018Kris Vanhaecht on Quality.\u2019 Through this, I aim to support patients, families, providers, and professionals in building truly multidimensional quality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Compassionate Leadership Award Winner:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kenneth Jun Logrono from Doha<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"833\" height=\"1324\" class=\"size-full wp-image-228 alignleft\" style=\"width: 200px;height: 200px;border-radius: 50%;object-fit: cover;object-position: 90% top;border: none;box-shadow: none\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenneth-Logrono.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenneth-Logrono.jpg 833w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenneth-Logrono-189x300.jpg 189w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenneth-Logrono-644x1024.jpg 644w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenneth-Logrono-768x1221.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenneth-Logrono-640x1017.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This award celebrates a nurse leader who leads by example, demonstrating that profound system improvement starts with inclusivity. He has empowered staff nurses, clinicians, and non-traditional improvers like housekeepers, clerks, and leaders alike to deliver and become drivers of meaningful change.<\/p>\n<p>His dedication to bringing people together to build Quality Improvement capability, regardless of their role or position, has created a culture of excellence across his organization.<\/p>\n<p>His teams are showing impressive improvements in outcomes as a result &#8211; demonstrating the profound impact of compassionate and inclusive leadership in healthcare.<\/p>\n<p>On receiving the award Kenneth said: &#8220;My work shows that improvement should not be a privilege of a few\u2014it must be a capability of all. This recognition strengthens our resolve to continue democratizing the science of improvement, because when we do, we unlock the true power of the system\u2014<em>its people<\/em>. Real quality is built by empowering people, one team, one day, one improvement at a time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best Cross-Organisational Collaboration Award Winner:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Singapore Health Services<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1833\" height=\"1368\" class=\"size-full wp-image-232 alignleft\" style=\"width: 200px;height: 200px;border-radius: 50%;object-fit: cover;object-position: center;border: none;box-shadow: none\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1.jpg 1833w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1-1024x764.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1-768x573.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1-1536x1146.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/Singapore-Health-Services-1-640x478.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1833px) 100vw, 1833px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNeighbours for Active Living\u201d is a community-based intervention that sets a new gold standard for cross-system collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>Starting with a simple idea that neighbours are the closest support when families aren\u2019t nearby, Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) have seamlessly integrated partners from outside the traditional health sphere.<\/p>\n<p>This work is firmly rooted in rigorous improvement methodology, and demonstrates that an inclusive, organizational-led approach can drive innovation at scale. They have transformed the lives of nearly 2,800 people, 90% of whom are seniors.<\/p>\n<p>On receiving the award, the team said:<strong> \u201c<\/strong>Just as it takes a village to raise a child; our neighbours play a vital role in supporting and enabling our seniors in the community. SingHealth is blessed and enabled by our partners within and beyond healthcare to deliver holistic integrated care that addresses not just the medical, but also the social and wider determinants of health across our residents&#8217; life course, guided by what matters to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Patient and Community Engagement Award Winner:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The Health Engagement Team at South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust from Northern Ireland<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1580\" class=\"size-full wp-image-231 alignleft\" style=\"width: 200px;height: 200px;border-radius: 50%;object-fit: cover;object-position: top;border: none;box-shadow: none\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT-300x296.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT-1024x1011.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT-768x758.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT-1536x1517.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/files\/2026\/04\/The-Health-Engagement-Team-at-SEHSCT-640x632.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This project has set a new benchmark for working with vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n<p>The team works in partnership with the Northern Ireland prison service to redefine prison healthcare by placing people at the centre of the service and empowering them to lead redesign processes.<\/p>\n<p>The judging panel was particularly moved by the team&#8217;s commitment to bridging the gap between frontline reality and executive decision-making.<\/p>\n<p>Early indications from this work are suggesting a reduction in reoffending rates from 45% to 7%.<\/p>\n<p>On winning the award, the team said: \u201cWinning the Global Award is a complete honour. It recognises the power of partnership across the community of a prison and how trust and building social capital transforms. The Ask HIM mentor network is a beacon of hope and we are keen to share the programme for adoption internationally.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To celebrate 30 years of the International Forum, five awards were given out to recognise the achievements of individuals and teams leading improvement in healthcare internationally. A summary of the award winners and their achievements are highlighted below. Rising Star Award Winner: Dalal M. Al-Harbi from Saudi Arabia This award celebrates an early career leader [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/2026\/04\/22\/global-top-30-improvers-awards-at-the-international-forum-on-quality-safety-in-healthcare-2026\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":514,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/514"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/qualitysafety\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}