Innovation, Communities, and Health Care Thought Leaders
all featured at the
34th Quest for Excellence® Conference
Sunday, April 2–Wednesday, April 5, 2023
In 2022, Congress added “Community” as the 7th Category of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards. This is the first expansion on the awards since Health Care and Education were added in 1998. This new category reflects the continuing evolution and adaptation of the Baldrige Framework and build upon the success experienced in other sectors of the economy. This year, Quest will shine a light on best practices in innovation and healthy, thriving communities during its Monday and Wednesday plenary sessions. You will learn from subject-matter experts and take home practical solutions to help your organization achieve breakthrough performance and results! Quest will also feature presentations by Baldrige Award-winning health care organizations, including Adventist Health White Memorial, GBMC Healthcare, Inc., Mary Greeley Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, and Southcentral Foundation. Learn how these organizations have achieved high performance in the face of today’s challenges in the health care sector.
Conference Highlights
Baldrige Foundation Leadership Awards
The Baldrige Foundation’s Leadership Awards will be presented during the Foundation Awards Luncheon held as part of the annual Quest for Excellence® on April 4, 2023. There are twenty-five award recipients this year including two recipients of the E. David Spong Lifetime Achievement award which recognizes individuals who have performed truly extraordinary service that has changed the world, and inspired others to do the same. This year’s recipients are Lowell C. Kruse, Baldrige Award Recipient CEO and Cofounder of Communities of Excellence 2026, and Richard A. Norling, Baldrige Award Recipient CEO and Cofounder of Communities of Excellence 2026.
Keynote Presentation by Donald Berwick
The Wednesday plenary session will kick off with a keynote presentation by Donald Berwick, President Emeritus and Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Former Administrator, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dr. Berwick is one of the leading scholars, teachers, and advocates in the world for the continual improvement of health care systems.
Monday Innovation Plenary Session
The Monday plenary session will kick off with a keynote presentation by Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney. The learning then continues with a plenary session featuring the senior leaders of five former Baldrige Award Recipients who will speak on the topic of innovation in a Ted-talk style format and participate in an interactive panel discussion.
Wednesday Communities of Excellence Plenary Session
Wednesday morning will feature a session showcasing the Communities of Excellence 2026. Attendees will learn directly from communities that are striving to achieve positive and sustainable results to key areas of community performance such as educational attainment, economic vitality, health, and safety.
Attendees will also take advantage of conference sessions and activities including:
- A welcome reception on Sunday, April 2 that will give attendees the opportunity to network with members of the Baldrige community, including Award recipients, Examiners, Judges, Overseers, Fellows, Foundation members, and Alliance program representatives.
- An opening keynote presentation by Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney.
- An innovation plenary session, featuring leaders of five former Baldrige Award Recipients who will speak on the topic of innovation in a Ted-talk style format and participate in an interactive panel discussion.
- 40 concurrent sessions on Monday and Tuesday will feature former Award recipients and other high-performing organizations of all sectors speaking on relevant topics of interest, such as leadership and social responsibility, workforce issues, and customers and strategy.
- A closing plenary session showcasing the Communities of Excellence 2026.
- Baldrige Criteria Pre-Conference Workshops on the afternoon of April 2 for beginner and intermediate users of the Baldrige Criteria.
- Opportunities to network with and learn from Baldrige recipients, applicants, examiners, Alliance for Performance Excellence program representatives, Communities of Excellence participants, as well as Baldrige experts and users in all sectors.
- Opportunities to meet the Quest sponsors.
Register and Book Your Hotel Room
You can register and book your hotel room today through Showcare, the official conference registrar and housing bureau. So, don't delay in reserving your seat.
Become a Conference Sponsor Today!
Reserve a Sponsorship Today! Contact jracette@baldrigefoundation.org for more information and to keep up-to-date on developing sponsorship opportunities.
