(Silver Spring, Maryland) - Holy Cross Health is pleased to announce the establishment of the Holy Cross Hospital Quality Council and the Holy Cross Germantown Hospital Quality Council.

The two new hospital quality councils establish an information exchange between the local communities and each of the hospitals and a linkage with the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors about issues of patient care and safety, as well as other quality topics.

The new hospital quality councils will review hospital performance on key quality indicators, with special focus on clinical processes, patient safety and the patient care experience. The councils will review and advise on hospital plans in quality areas and will provide comments through the Chair of the Hospital Quality Council to the long-standing Quality and Patient Safety Committee of the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors.

The Chair and members of the Hospital Quality Councils are community members who serve with the President of each hospital. The members of the Quality and Patient Safety Committee also are community members who serve as members of the Holy Cross Health Board of Directors with the President and CEO of the Holy Cross Health system.

The establishment of the Holy Cross Hospital Quality Council and the Holy Cross Germantown Hospital Quality Council represents a new feature within Holy Cross Health, a regional system that operates with a single Board of Directors. The opening of a new hospital, expansion of Holy Cross Health's primary care health center network, its partnership in a Medicaid health maintenance and care management organization, along with growth of Holy Cross Hospital itself, require a regional governance structure. The Hospital Quality Councils will play an important organizational role within the overall quality structures of Holy Cross Hospital and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, and Holy Cross Health overall.