Experiences from improvement programs in hospitals and in the primary care show that
celebrations contribute to create joy in work and motivation for further improvement.
The celebration checklist has been composed for use in the Danish Safer Hospital Programme,
and has been updated for use in “In Safe Hands”, an improvement program in the primary care in
the Danish municipalities.
You can celebrate whenever you reach a milestone or achieve a good result. Or you can design
your own event, celebrate a colleague as an improvement hero, invent a prize or a diploma to
celebrate an idea or an achievement.
Celebrations don’t have to be big or time consuming. A brief marking of a good result can take 5-
10 minutes. But sometimes it is worthwhile to invest a little more time and energy, and maybe
invite guests or even the press.
Therefore, not all items on the checklist apply to every celebration. Use the checklist as inspiration.
