BC Patient Safety Quality Council has presented 2011 BC Quality Awards to four Provincial Health Services Au­thority researchers and physicians. The awards recognize individuals, health care teams, and facilities that have implemented measures or engag­ed in initiatives to improve the quality of care in BC. 

Drs Johann Brink, Tonia L. Nich­olls, and Christopher Webster with the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission were honored for their START initiative, a Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability clinical guide for the dynamic assessment of seven risk domains. The result was a new model for interdisciplinary mental health care that would provide a structure for clinical assessments and guide integrated, multidisciplinary treatment plans. 

Dr Sanjiv Gandhi was honored for the work he has accomplished at BC Children’s Hospital since arriving at the facility in 2010. Under his leadership, the cardiac surgery department has made a number of substantial improvements to cardiac care, including the eradication of the waiting list and reduction of pediatric intensive care unit stay by more than half for all cardiac surgery patients. 

For more information on the BC Patient Safety Quality Council Quality Awards visit www.bcpsqc.ca/celebrating/awards.html [8].