Walter Reed Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Gloucester is one of five Virginia Health Services facilities that have been named recipients of the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Bronze National Quality Award. A total of 17 facilities across the state were also honored.

The bronze award denotes commitment to improving the lives of residents through quality care, said a press release. It was conferred jointly by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Walter Reed provides skilled and long-term nursing care with on-site rehabilitation. It also provides memory care and was recognized among Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes for 2023 and 2024.

Other VHS facilities receiving the award were the Newport and Northampton Nursing and Rehabilitation centers (located in Newport News and Hampton, respectively) and The Hamilton and The Huntington Assisted Living communities (located in York County and Newport News, respectively).

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is “a rigorous three-level process reviewed and evaluated by trained experts against a set of nationally recognized standards for organizational excellence,” said the release.

The standards of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program help organizations achieve superior performance over time to improve the quality of life and care of long-term care residents, said the release. Providers begin the program at the Bronze level. The next step is the Silver—Achievement in Quality award.

“Receiving this award marks the beginning of an exciting journey towards excellence,” said Cathy Bergland, chairman of the board of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award. “I encourage you to take some time to celebrate and continue striving for higher levels of quality and performance.”

The awards will be presented during a convention and expo in October in Orlando, Florida.