The Connecticut Hospital Association is honoring Susan Davis, EdD, RN, with the 2014 T. Steward Hamilton, MD, Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Davis is a Board Member of St. Vincent’s Health Services in Bridgeport and formerly served as its President and CEO. Today she serves as President and Chief Executive Officer, Sacred Heart Health System, Pensacola, Fla., and as Ministry Market Leader for Ascension Health over Alabama, Florida and the Community Health Ministries. She also is Chairman of the Board of the Connecticut Hospital Association.
Dr. Davis introduced the patient safety concept of high reliability to St. Vincent’s Medical Center and to hospitals across Connecticut, leaving an indelible mark on healthcare in Connecticut. High-reliability organizations operate under high-risk conditions but have decreased the probability of an accident by creating consistently reliable processes, making their systems measurably safer. St. Vincent’s and Ascension Health began the high-reliability journey in 2010, and as Chairman of the Connecticut Health Association’s Committee on Patient Care Quality, Dr. Davis led the rest of the state in an unprecedented initiative to address patient harm. Her vision engaged the Connecticut Health Association Board, and hospitals across the state committed to the high-reliability journey.
Susan is first and foremost a nurse, and the patient safety work she has led here in Connecticut is an extension of her mission of caring for patients,” said Jennifer Jackson, President and CEO, Connecticut Health Association. “Ensuring patient safety is the highest priority of Connecticut hospitals and, through her visionary leadership, Susan has helped us raise the bar on safety. We are proud to be involved in this meaningful work and grateful to Susan for initiating this journey.
Dr. Davis also had a major impact as CEO of St. Vincent’s Medical Center. She set the standard for nursing care and led the hospital to Magnet status on its first attempt. When Quinnipiac University opened the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine, she developed a joint clinical partnership with the school – creating a third medical school in the state. As a result of that relationship, the first medical students will be going to the hospital in the next year.
In addition to her role as Connecticut Health Association Board Chairman, she served for eight years on the Board of Directors for the Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC), including two terms as Board Chair. Susan has been recognized for her service to the United Way, Hospice, and the American Cancer Society in both Connecticut and New York.
