Sanjay Saint Wins John M. Eisenberg Safety Award
The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum honor Dr. Sanjay Saint for his work in patient safety and clinical medicine.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Awards
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Sanjay Saint, the chair of medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, has received the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award. The honor recognizes his leadership in reducing device-related patient harm.
Why it matters
The award highlights the impact of scientific approaches that combine technical interventions with behavioral change to prevent health care-associated infections. These methods have been instrumental in shaping national safety guidelines.
Dr. Saint has authored over 400 peer-reviewed papers regarding patient safety and clinical medicine. He has also shared his expertise as a visiting professor at more than 100 institutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The players
Sanjay Saint
He serves as the chair of medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
The Joint Commission
This independent, not-for-profit organization accredits and certifies health care organizations and programs in the United States.
National Quality Forum
This is a non-profit organization that promotes patient protections and healthcare quality through measurement and public reporting.
The details
Dr. Saint focused his career on eliminating patient harm caused by urinary catheters and central lines while improving hand hygiene. He successfully integrated organizational changes with clinical interventions to set new benchmarks for quality metrics.
Timeline
The award announcement was published on October 20, 2026.
Culture Shift
This award represents a broader shift toward prioritizing quantifiable patient outcomes over traditional care models. It highlights the growing recognition of rigorous, data-driven research as the primary vehicle for changing hospital culture.
The adoption of these validated safety guidelines can lead to reduced infection rates and improved recovery outcomes for patients in hospitals nationwide. These changes ensure that clinical care is increasingly governed by evidence-based practices.
The takeaway
Dr. Saint's work underscores that technical medical expertise is most effective when paired with organizational and behavioral change. Readers can look to similar evidence-based standards when assessing the quality and safety measures of their local healthcare providers.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest industry honors in our Awards section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The American Bazaar.
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Do you trust that the hospitals in your area prioritize patient safety above other concerns?
