ACHSI QI Award Winners 2025 Announced
The ACHSI Quality Improvement (QI) Awards is a celebration of innovation, excellence, and healthcare leadership.
The winners of the ACHSI Quality Improvement (QI) Awards 2025 were announced at the Member Forum held on the 17th December. The QI Awards celebrate innovation, excellence and global healthcare leadership, recognising outstanding initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in quality, safety and patient outcomes across international healthcare settings. This year we received a record number of submissions across all categories and introduced a new category recognising environmental sustainability in healthcare.
ACHSI Executive Director, Louise Cuskelly presented the awards across three categories: Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety, Sustainable Healthcare and Service Delivery, and Healthcare Measurement. We commend all winners for their commitment to continuous improvement, and for the meaningful impact their work is having on patients, communities and healthcare systems.
Clinical Excellence and Patient Safety Award
Winner: Hung Vuong Hospital, Vietnam
Project: ‘Improving Preterm Infant Care through Early and Continuous Kangaroo Mother Care in Neonates ≥30 Weeks at Hung Vuong Hospital’
Hung Vuong Hospital was celebrated for an innovative initiative that has significantly improved outcomes for preterm infants from 30 to 33+ 6/7 weeks’ gestational age, and their mothers.
The early and continuous Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) model involved prolonged skin-to-skin contact between a parent and the baby combined with frequent or exclusive breastfeeding. Results demonstrated a reduction in the median length of hospital stay for infants as well as significantly higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding. Moreover, the model also reduced treatment costs, enhanced mother–infant bonding through immediate skin-to-skin and early breastfeeding, reduced risks of infant misidentification and hospital-acquired and infections and supported long-term neurodevelopment.
The implementation of early and continuous KMC represents a scalable innovation in the care of preterm infants.
Highly Commended
- Saudi German Hospital Dammam, Saudi Arabia
‘The Power of HSI: Advancing Patient Safety and Service Excellence Across the SGH Network.’ - Dubai Health, United Arab Emirates
‘Zero by Design: Data-Driven CAUTI Prevention in a Pediatric Hospital at DUBAI HEALTH.’
Sustainable Healthcare and Service Delivery
Winner: Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, Malaysia
Project: 'Sustainable Healthcare: Integrating Innovation, Care, and Environmental Responsibility’
Sunway Medical Centre (SMC) was recognised for its organisation-wide commitment to integrating sustainability into clinical, operational, and infrastructural practices, advancing both environmental responsibility and high-quality patient care.
In 2024, SMC achieved major measurable outcomes, including avoiding over 410 tonnes of CO₂ emissions through expanded solar energy generation, diverting 137 tonnes of waste from landfill through enhanced recycling programs, and pioneering Malaysia’s first clinical waste recycling initiative for Schedule Waste 409. These achievements reflect strong leadership, a dedicated Sustainability Committee, and alignment with global frameworks such as the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) network and the hospital’s progression toward ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification.
The hospital’s model, grounded in staff engagement and patient-centred initiatives, represents a scalable pathway for healthcare facilities across Malaysia and the wider region.
Highly Commended
- Todua Hospital, Georgia
'Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable and Patient-Centred Service Delivery at Todua Clinic.’
Healthcare Measurement
Winner: Mouwasat Hospital Jubail, Saudi Arabia
Project: ‘Improving Safety, Quality and Efficiency of Care Through the Development of a Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS)’
Mouwasat Hospital, Jubail was recognised for its innovative adoption of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) to enhance patient-centred care, improve clinical decision-making, and drive efficiency across the hospital.
In 2024, the hospital achieved measurable improvements, including increasing patient satisfaction from 79% to 84%, reducing the proportion of diabetic patients with poorly controlled blood sugar to 20.5%, and cutting the average hospital stay for diabetic patients from 5.2 to 2.4 days, resulting in a cost reduction of 25,200 SR per admission. These outcomes were achieved through strong leadership, multidisciplinary engagement, and integration of PROMs into clinical workflows.
PROMs utilisation not only enhance the quality of patient care, satisfaction, and experience, but can also enhance practice efficiencies, and drive practice growth.
Highly Commended
- Hoan My Sai Gon Hospital, Vietnam
‘Data-driven Quality Improvement: Establishing a Healthcare Measurement System through Risk Library and Centralized Management to Enhance Patient Safety and Care Quality.’
Congratulations to all our 2025 Quality Improvement Award winners and highly commended. Your dedication, innovation, and commitment to improving patient care are truly inspiring, and your projects demonstrate the real impact that passion and teamwork can have on healthcare outcomes.
- Ms Louise Cuskelly – Executive Director 2025
For further information about the winning submissions and other highly commended entrants please view the latest Quality Initiatives Publication on the ACHSI Website.