Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Baptist Medical Center has earned the only Joint Commission Gold
Seal of Approval™ in Mississippi for breast cancer, acute coronary
syndrome, heart failure and outpatient diabetes. It also received
The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ for its Primary
Stroke Center. Baptist demonstrated compliance with The Joint
Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety
in disease-specific care. These certification awards recognize
Baptist's dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint
Commission's state-of-the- art standards.
"This achievement is due to the determination of our physicians and
medical staff clinicians making a significant investment in quality
on a day-to-day basis quickly assessing and treating these
diseases," said Baptist Chief Medical Officer Eric McVey, MD.
Baptist underwent a rigorous on-site survey. A team of Joint
Commission expert surveyors evaluated Baptist for compliance with
standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families,
including infection prevention and control, leadership and
medication management.
"With Joint Commission certification, we are making a significant
investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down.
Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our
organization to the next level and helps create a culture of
excellence," added Dr. McVey.
The Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Certification Program,
launched in 2002, is designed to evaluate clinical programs across
the continuum of care. Certification requirements address three
core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards;
effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to
manage and optimize care; and an organized approach to performance
measurement and improvement activities.
"In achieving Joint Commission certification, Baptist has
demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its
patients," says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q. executive
director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint
Commission. "Certification is a voluntary process, and I commend
Baptist for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its
standard of care and instill confidence in the community it
serves."
ABOUT THE JOINT COMMISSION
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve
health care for the public, in collaboration with other
stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring
them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest
quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits
more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the
United States. The Joint Commission also provides certification of
more than 1,700 disease-specific care programs, primary stroke
centers, and health care staffing services. An independent,
not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's
oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health
care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
