A multidisciplinary team from WashU Medicine and BJC HealthCare has been named the recipient of the 2026 Bernard J. Tyson Award for Pursuit of Healthcare Equity by Joint Commission and Kaiser Permanente. The national award recognizes healthcare systems and their partners for making lasting progress in closing gaps in patient care.
WashU Medicine and BJC HealthCare were honored for addressing variations in urine drug testing for patients during pregnancy and the weeks following childbirth. Over two years, a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, lab specialists and hospital leaders worked together to set clear testing rules and build automated prompts into patients’ digital records to guide clinicians in decision-making about urine screening across seven BJC hospitals.
The initiative reduced drug screening rates by 90% and related Child Protective Services reporting by 80% without compromising infant safety outcomes.
The team that spearheaded the initiative includes WashU Medicine’s Jeannie Kelly, MD, MS, an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology; Mark A. Zaydman, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Pathology & Immunology; Noor Riaz, MD, MPH, an associate professor in the Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics; and Lauren Nacke, MSW, LCSW, a PhD student at WashU Bursky Public Health. They led a multidisciplinary group of 18 individuals from numerous disciplines across the collaborating institutions.
The award was presented to team leaders at Joint Commission’s annual conference Oct. 1.