2026 Kershner QI Award Submissions
AAAHC invites accredited organizations to prepare for the 2026 Bernard A. Kershner Innovations in Quality Improvement Award by completing quality improvement studies using the AAAHC six- component criteria. As a AAAHC-accredited organization, you already submit documentation of two studies during your Application for Survey—now take the next step. Start preparing your 2026 submission today!
2026 Kershner QI Award Program Requirements
2026 study submissions will begin January 5, 2026
2026 Kershner QI Award Submission Timeline
- January 5, 2026 – Submissions open
- March 31, 2026 (11:59 PM CT) – Last day to submit
- June 5, 2026 – Expert Panel announces final decisions
- June 10, 2026 – Committee approves finalists
- June 15–16, 2026 – Calls and emails to top six finalists (three Primary Care, three Surgical/Procedural)
- July 15, 2026 – Poster deadline for finalists
- September 30, 2026 – “Road to Success” webinar featuring finalists released
- Sept 30–Dec 10, 2026 – People’s Choice Award voting period
- December 10, 2026 – Winners announced live at Achieving Accreditation in Las Vegas
2026 Kershner QI Award Criteria
The AAAHC Institute appointed an Expert Panel to review all submissions. The panel will review submissions for clarity and conciseness as well as following the AAAHC six-component framework as posted below and in the Quality Institute section of the website (see Quality Resources) or in the 1095 Engage platform. Please choose a study that has been completed and at least one to two rounds of sustainment have been achieved.
| 1. Purpose of the Study Clearly state the purpose of your Quality Improvement (QI) study. |
| 2. Goal Statement Define your performance improvement goal. |
| 3. Data analysis Identify the key factors (root causes) contributing to the performance gap. |
| 4. Corrective Actions Describe the interventions implemented to address each root cause. |
| 5. Remeasurement and Sustainment Track performance over time to demonstrate improvement and sustainment. |
| 6. Communication and Dissemination Document how results were shared with the governing body and across the organization. |
The panel also looks for innovation, teamwork, and transferability to other ambulatory settings.
Preview the full 2026 Kershner QI Award Program Requirements
The Expert Panel will select six finalist studies that best reflect the criteria above. One representative from each finalist organization will receive:
Complimentary registration (limit one per organization, six in total) for the AAAHC Achieving Accreditation program where the winners will be announced
- $500 honorarium per organization/poster presentation (limit one per organization, six total finalists)
- Complimentary registration for the AAAHC Achieving Accreditation program where winners will be announced (limit one per organization)
- Physical awards for organizations whose studies the Expert Panel and peers select as best
- Publication of posters in AAAHC newsletters, on the website, and in educational offerings such as Achieving Accreditation
In compliance with HIPAA, no patient identifiers are allowed on the application.
Have questions? Contact the AAAHC Quality Institute at quality@aaahc.org.
Program void where prohibited.
