Fox Army Health Center has earned Joint Commission accreditation, achieving recognition for upholding the highest standards of care, with no requirements for improvement.

“This achievement is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our team to a culture of excellence,” Lt. Col. Deepak Mathew, commander of Fox Army Health Center, said. “The surveyors were thoroughly impressed by the professionalism, preparation and passion demonstrated by every member of our team. To achieve a perfect survey is incredibly rare, and it reflects the world-class care we provide to our beneficiaries every day.”

The Joint Commission is currently the nation’s largest and only accreditor that reaches across the full continuum of health care. According to the Joint Commission, its accreditation process evaluates an organization’s compliance with performance standards designed to improve quality and safety for those it serves.

Accreditation is awarded upon successful completion of an on-site survey by a specially trained Joint Commission surveyor or team of surveyors.

The Joint Commission survey at Fox took place on March 2 and 3.

Earning accreditation takes “dedication, teamwork and commitment from the entire team; it’s not just one person,” Maj. Sheila Williamson, deputy commander for nursing and clinical services, said.

“It’s continual process improvement, continual accountability for doing the right thing all the time,” Heather Hill, chief of quality management at Fox, said.

Williamson said Fox was notified six days before the arrival of the two inspectors.

“We may get that six-day warning that they are coming, and we do know that this accreditation is every three years, but this is what we prepare for every day,” Williamson said. “This is the care we deliver every day for our patients and our beneficiaries. We are ready for Joint Commission every day to walk in the door, and we proved that.”

Fox has also earned accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, by demonstrating excellence in patient care and confidence in laboratory practices. There were zero findings for improvement.