Hospital earns accreditation and Gold Seal of Approval from Joint Commission
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 15, 2012 1:50 AM
Wayne Memorial Hospital has earned a Gold Seal of Approval from and has been accredited by The Joint Commission by demonstrating compliance with the commission's national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals.
The accreditation, which is a voluntary process, recognizes the hospital's dedication to continuous compliance with commission standards, hospital officials said.
"This is something that we have been doing for a long time," said Georgia Dees, director of public relations for the hospital. "The surveyors come in and spend three days to a week. They go into every part of the hospital with a checklist to make sure were are doing what we are supposed to be doing.
"They give us a report and give us so much time to go back and put in corrective action."
There are times when the hospital administration disagrees with a finding that can range from patient care to something as simple as wording in a policy, she said.
But no major concerns were raised during the most recent survey, she said.
"They also survey patient feedback and compare us to the state and federal averages," she said. "We were higher or right on them."
The accreditation is good for 36 months.
Since the visits are unannounced there is no way to prepare for them, other than preparing all of the time, and working to ensure that the hospital provides the best services possible, she said.
The hospital underwent the unannounced on-site survey Feb. 27 - March 1 when a team of commission expert surveyors evaluated the hospital for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.
The surveys are conducted at least every three years.
"In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, Wayne Memorial Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients," said Mark Pelletier, R.N., M.S., the commission's executive director for hospital programs, accreditation and certification services. "Accreditation is a voluntary process, and I commend Wayne Memorial Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."
"We are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis," said William Paugh, the hospital's president and chief executive officer. "Joint Commission accreditation provides a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps instill a culture of excellence.
"Our success is a team effort, and I thank all of our employees for their commitment to Wayne Memorial Hospital and the families we serve."