About the Top Leadership Teams Awards

As we celebrate the seventh year of the Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare program, we are once again looking for the next story of great leadership. The stories may vary in their circumstances, from the teamwork that Ochsner Health System showed in leading through the devastation of Katrina in 2005, to Denver Health overcoming the challenges facing a public, safety-net hospital system last year.

Whatever form the story takes, the award is here again to recognize the value of outstanding leadership teamwork at hospitals, health plans, and medical group practices. Every year we at HealthLeaders Media sponsor the awards program because we believe that the core value for every successful healthcare organization must be teamwork. The goal of the program is always to discover new “best practices” in teamwork and share them with our vital industry. We encourage hospitals, health plans and medical group practices who believe they have outstanding teamwork to share their stories with us.

TLT’s 5 Categories

1. Large Hospitals and Health Systems (500 or more licensed beds)
2. Community and Mid-Sized Hospitals (100 to 499 licensed beds)
3. Small Hospitals (fewer than 100 licensed beds)
4. Health Plans (state, regional and national health plans)
5. Medical Group Practices (physician-owned, single- or multi-specialty groups employing 25 or more physicians)

The deadline to submit your entry is April 30, 2010.

Don’t forget: Direct your comments, questions or concerns to teamwork@healthleadersmedia.com.

Questions About the Awards Program

What is the deadline to apply?

April 30, 2010.

Is my healthcare organization eligible to enter?

The Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare program annually recognizes the best leadership team work at acute-care hospitals, health plans and medical group practices. Vendors and other companies that supply services to those organizations are not eligible. Each category has specific eligibility guidelines. To view them, review the Official Rules.

Is there an entry fee?

No, entering the awards program is free.

What are the award categories?

The 2010 award categories are:

• Large hospitals and health systems (500+ beds)
• Community and mid-sized hospitals (100-499 beds)
• Small hospitals (Fewer than 100 beds)
• Health plans (State, regional, and national)
• Medical group practices (physician-owned, single- or multi-specialty groups employing 25+ physicians)

What recognition do the winners receive?

Winners of the Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare program are . . .

• Featured in an issue of HealthLeaders magazine
• Announced nationally on HealthLeaders Media Daily News & Analysis
• Publicized in the major business release wires

Can anyone submit an entry?

The entry must be submitted by a contact person employed in the leadership of the entered healthcare organization. A consultant, public relations or advertising firm, or vendor with a relationship to the entered healthcare organization may assist in preparing the entry.

When will the winners be announced?

The winners will be announced in the HealthLeaders Media Daily News & Analysis in June.

When will the finalists be notified?

Finalists will be notified in May, so that the judges may arrange a site visit for final judging. Entrants who are not selected as finalists will also be notified.

Can I resubmit an entry from a prior year?

Certainly. Many of our past winners did not win when they first entered. Some applicants say the exercise of completing an entry form each year is an excellent way to record leadership progress and unique teamwork initiatives.

Please review the updated entry form and revise as needed. Please make certain that all information–especially team members and contact information–is current.

Can we submit additional materials, such as our annual report?

No materials outside the official entry form will be considered.

Where do I send the entries?

All entries must be submitted through this page. No other forms of entry will be accepted.

What if I have a really great story to tell, but need extra time to prepare the entry?

No entries submitted after the application deadline will be accepted.

Does the winner get a plaque?

A plaque with the winning organization’s name and leadership team is presented to the winners.

I tried to submit my entry, but I got an error message. What should I do?

E-mail us at teamwork@healthleadersmedia.com and we’ll look into it immediately.

We were not selected as finalists. Can we find out why?

In order to maintain the privacy of the program judging, it is our policy not to comment on why a particular entrant was not selected as a finalist.

Are there any specific attributes that winners share?

While every year brings a new set of winning stories, over the years of the program the winners have consistently demonstrated a culture of accountable, measurable teamwork among a group of committed leaders. Winners have been able to show demonstrable results, not merely share vague statements about teamwork.