Call for Submissions Open for the 2018 $100,000 He

NEW YORK, NY and PHILADELPHIA, PA --(Marketwired - May 02, 2017) - Hearst Health, a division of Hearst, and the Jefferson College of Population Health of Thomas Jefferson University, today announced the call for submissions is open for the 2018 Hearst Health Prize, the annual $100,000 award given in recognition of an organization's or individual's outstanding achievement in managing or improving health. For the first time, up to two finalists will each receive $25,000. The announcement was made by Gregory Dorn, MD, MPH, president of Hearst Health, and David B. Nash, MD, MBA, dean of the Jefferson College of Population Health.

"Every year this competition has surfaced an elite group of finalists who are making a tangible impact with their programs, such that we are compelled to expand the reward for the good work being done," Dorn said. "We consistently receive a high volume of submissions from diverse organizations across the country, and are eager to honor more programs that are making a measurable difference and showcase their success on a national stage."

The Hearst Health Prize competition evaluates implemented projects that demonstrate improved health outcomes; it is not a grant program. The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2017. Up to three finalists will be named in January 2018, and the winner will be announced on March 20, 2018 at the 18th annual Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia. The winner will be awarded $100,000 and the finalists will each be awarded $25,000. For full details, including eligibility, submission criteria, application, and competition rules, please visit www.jefferson.edu/HearstHealthPrize .

"We urge individuals and organizations to showcase their good work in population health by sending in submissions and participating in the Hearst Health Prize," Nash said. "It is absolutely essential to share the initiatives and best practices that are making a positive impact to improve health outcomes across the country."

Applications will be vetted by faculty at the Jefferson College of Population Health and a distinguished panel of judges. Each submission will be evaluated based on the program's:

• Population health impact or outcome, demonstrated by measurable improvement
• Use of evidence-based interventions and best practices to improve the quality of care
• Promotion of communication, collaboration and engagement
• Scalability and sustainability
• Innovation

Recently, Intermountain Healthcare was awarded the 2017 Hearst Health Prize for its Mental Health Integration program and the two finalists were the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative based at Stanford University. The 2016 winner was Community Care of North Carolina for its statewide transitional care program for Medicaid patients.

Key Dates for the 2018 Hearst Health Prize:

• July 31, 2017: Closing date for submissions at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT
• January 2018: Finalists notified
• March 19, 2018: Finalists will present at a special poster session at the Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia
• March 20, 2018: Winner of the $100,000 Hearst Health Prize will be announced at the Population Health Colloquium

About Hearst Health:

The Hearst Health network includes FDB (First Databank), Zynx Health , MCG , Homecare Homebase , MedHOK , Hearst Health International, Hearst Health Ventures and the Hearst Health Innovation Lab ( www.hearsthealth.com ). The mission of the Hearst Health network is to help guide the most important care moments by delivering vital information into the hands of everyone who touches a person's health journey. Each year in the U.S., care guidance from the Hearst Health network reaches 84 percent of discharged patients, 177 million insured individuals, 60 million home health visits, and 3.1 billion dispensed prescriptions.

About the Jefferson College of Population Health:

The Jefferson College of Population Health (JCPH) is the first college of its kind in the country. Established in 2008, it is part of Thomas Jefferson University, a leading academic health center founded in Philadelphia in 1824 as Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College). The College is dedicated to exploring the policies and forces that define the health and well-being of populations. Its mission is to prepare leaders with global vision to examine the social determinants of health and to evaluate, develop and implement health policies and systems that will improve the health of populations and thereby enhance the quality of life. Jefferson College of Population Health provides exemplary graduate academic programming in population health, public health, health policy, healthcare quality and safety, and applied health economics and outcomes research. Its educational offerings are enhanced by research, publications and continuing education and professional development offerings in these areas.

Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdLc47Qlk0A