DETROIT (WWJ) – In Washington D.C. this weekend – Henry Ford Health System becomes one of only 15 U.S. Health Organizations to win a very prestigious Department of Commerce Award.

WWJ’s Pat Sweeting reports that the Baldridge award is given by the U.S. Department of Commerce to health care systems and hospitals for excellence and innovation.

After five tries, CEO of Henry Ford Health System Nancy Schlichting, says the hospital has been selected as the winner of the Baldridge National Quality Award.

“I was thrilled, they called me on my birthday, I was told that if I received a call from a gentleman that was not good news, if I received a call from a woman who was the Deputy Secretary of Commerence that was good news … all I did was hear her voice and I just about screamed and I don’t remember what else she said to me,” said Schlichting. “Other than the fact I knew we won.”

Henry Ford stood out, in part, for it’s treatment and care of patients dealing with depression.

“We set a goal of perfection (in the area of depression) no suicides for those patients we were managing,” said Schlichting.

“They look at strategic planning, they look at your leadership systems, your clinical results, financial – every aspect of your organization. And then we had a team of examiners who came in for a week and they actually met with 1,200 of our employees,” said Schlichting.

Schlichting and several staffers will be traveling to Washington D.C. to accept the award over the weekend.