12/13/13 — Cherry Hospital earns top ratings on performance

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Cherry Hospital earns top ratings on performance

By From staff reports
Published in News on December 13, 2013 1:46 PM

RALEIGH -- Cherry Hospital is one of two psychiatric hospitals in North Carolina to be named among 1,099 hospitals nationwide for exemplary performance on specific quality measures during the 2012 calendar year, officials at the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announced.

As one of The Joint Commission's Top Performers on Key Quality Measures, Cherry was in the top 33 percent of the eligible hospitals in the U.S. that report performance data to the nation's leading accreditor of health care organizations.

The hospital was recognized for its use of evidence-based clinical processes for Inpatient Psychiatric Services. To earn the designation, a hospital must achieve a score of 95 percent or above for its composite performance score and on each individual area that comprises its assessment. Each accountability measure represents an evidence-based practice.

"The Joint Commission's Top Performer distinction highlights Cherry Hospital's tremendous commitment to delivering the best care for its patients," said Luckey Welsh, interim director of the DHHS Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities and CEO of Cherry Hospital. "I congratulate our Clinical Director Jim Mayo, M.D., and the rest of the team for their exemplary performance and commitment to quality."

In addition to being included in the Joint Commission's annual report, Cherry will be recognized on the Joint Commission's Quality Check website at qualitycheck.org.

Cherry Hospital, a 190-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital serving the citizens of 38 eastern counties, is one of three state-run psychiatric hospitals in the state.

It is accredited by the N.C. Medical Society to provide Continuing Medical Education to physicians and by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation as a provider of continuing nursing education.

The hospital serves as a training/teaching site for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, the ECU College of Nursing, Edgecombe Community College, James Sprunt College, Lenoir Community College, Pitt Community College, Sampson Community College, Wayne Community College and Wilson Community College. It provides continuing education to psychologists, social workers, and teachers by working closely with Eastern Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Southern Regional AHEC, and the N.C. Psychological Association.