HOUSTON (Sept. 15, 2026)
— Harris Health Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) at Lyndon B. Johnson (hospital) was named one of six finalists in the nation – the only one in Texas – for the 2026 Bernard A. Kershner Innovations in Quality Improvement (QI) Award by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). The accreditation agency honors ambulatory care centers in both surgical/procedural and primary care settings.
Harris Health ASC – categorized as a surgical/procedural location – has been in operation since 2014 and annually performs 3,500 same-day surgical procedures with the top three most frequent cases being: cataract removal, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hernia repair. Harris Health's submission for consideration of the award was titled, “Leveraging World Health Organization Multi-Modal Hand Hygiene Strategies to Improve Hand Hygiene Compliance Among Surgical Residents in an Ambulatory Surgical Center."
“The Kershner Award is a testament to our team's dedication, creativity, and commitment to continuously improving the care we provide. Our ASC team placed significant emphasis on working together to transform hand hygiene compliance from acceptable to exemplary, demonstrating what can be achieved through collaboration, accountability, and a shared focus on excellence," says Matthew Reeder, MSN, BS, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, administrator, Harris Health Ambulatory Surgical Center. “This recognition reflects a team that continually seeks innovative ways to enhance patient safety, quality outcomes, and the overall patient experience."
The six finalists – three in the surgical/procedural category and three in the primary care category – were selected based on the strength of their completed quality improvement studies, which demonstrated measurable improvement, collaborative implementation, and alignment with AAAHC standards.
Named in memory of Bernard A. Kershner, a pioneer in ambulatory health care and former chair of the AAAHC Board of Directors, the annual awards recognize AAAHC-accredited organizations that implement meaningful changes in their operations to advance quality of care, patient safety, and overall efficiency through quality improvement efforts. The Kershner QI Award began in 2004.
“Year after year, quality improvement teams continue to raise the bar for quality ambulatory care," says Steven Butz, MD, board chair, AAAHC. “This year's award finalists demonstrate exceptional dedication to identifying opportunities for improvement and achieving real-world results. We are also grateful to each organization for submitting a Kershner Award application. Your dedication to delivering safer, higher-quality care inspires other teams across the ambulatory care community."
"One of the greatest strengths of the Kershner QI Award program is how much organizations learn from other award applicants, finalists, and winners," says Julie Lynch, MS, BSN, RN, Director of the AAAHC Institute for Quality Improvement (IQI). "These motivated teams have developed practical strategies others can adapt to augment their own processes and subsequently further their own QI efforts."
Winners of each category will be announced in December in Las Vegas. For more information on AAAHC and the 2026 Kershner QI Award, visit
www.aaahc.org.