The American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) announced the names of the 126 long-term and post-acute care organizations that earned a 2015 Silver - Achievement in Quality Award, including PruittHealth – Bamberg and The Oaks at Whitaker Glen – Mayview. The award is one of three distinct awards possible through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, which honors select centers across the nation that serve as models of excellence in providing high-quality long-term and post-acute care.

"At this level, recipients demonstrate an understanding of critical management areas and how they lead to improved outcomes," said Christine Boldt, Chair of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers. "All of these recipients are on an important path to quality excellence. I applaud them all for this achievement."

"I am proud to add PruittHealth – Bamberg and The Oaks at Whitaker Glen – Mayview to the list of PruittHealth centers that have received the Silver level National Quality Award from AHCA/NCAL. It is an honor to have their continuous commitment to caring and quality recognized nationally among their peers," said Neil L. Pruitt, Jr., Chairman and CEO of PruittHealth.

Implemented by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, the National Quality Award Program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The program assists providers of long-term and post-acute care services in achieving their performance excellence goals.

The program has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. As a recipient of the Silver - Achievement in Quality Award, these centers and their staff have demonstrated systematic advancements in quality, plans for continual improvement, and sustainable organizational goals. Recipients of the Silver Award may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the Gold - Excellence in Quality Award, which requires them to address the Baldrige Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence. A full list of the recipients is available on the AHCA/NCAL website.

Other PruittHealth award winners include PruittHealth – Bethany and PruittHealth – Fitzgerald. These two centers were among the recipients of the 2015 Bronze – Commitment to Quality. The names of the coveted Gold - Excellence in Quality Award will be released on August 14. The recipient organizations will be honored during the AHCA/NCAL's 66th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 4-7, 2015, in San Antonio, Texas.