ASA Member Recognized for Continuous Contributions to Patient Safety

ASA patient safety pioneer and long-time member, John H. Eichhorn, M.D., has been selected by the National Quality Forum (NQF) and the Joint Commission as the 2010 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award recipient.

This award comes at an especially exciting time for patient safety. Not only is ASA President Dr. Mark A. Warner putting the spotlight on patient safety in his presidential term, the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) are also celebrating their 25^th Anniversaries.

Dr. Eichhorn, of the University of Kentucky, Lexington, is being recognized for his contributions which have led to dramatic and sustained reductions in catastrophic intra-operative anesthesia accidents. He is currently a consultant to the Executive Committee of the APSF where he and other dedicated ASA members are committed to continually improving the safety of patients during anesthesia care by encouraging and conducting safety research and education; patient safety programs and campaigns and the national and international exchange of information and ideas.

Anesthesiology was the first medical specialty to champion patient safety as a specific focus and the APSF has been the leader in the proactive, successful efforts to dramatically improve the safety of anesthesia administration and reduce adverse events.

Dr. Eichhorn will be presented with the award in February 2011 at NQF’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. An early 2011 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety will also feature his achievements.

A complete list of past Eisenberg Award winners is available here.