The Fort Drum U.S. Army Medical Department Activity has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for ambulatory and behavioral health care during the unannounced on-site survey in May by demonstrating superior compliance with nationally-recognized standards for quality and safety.
The Joint Commission is a multi-disciplinary body that evaluates and accredits free standing ambulatory organizations across the U.S., targeting patient safety and quality of care, by establishing evidence-based performance standards and expectations for quality health services.
"Earning accreditation is a requirement for all free standing ambulatory care clinics, according to Army regulation 40-68 (section3-5)," said Mickie Palmer, MEDDAC Joint Commission Coordinator. "And earning that accreditation is a combined effort on the part of every member of the MEDDAC team; everyone touched some part of the process."
During the survey, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance related to a variety of areas, including environment of care, emergency management, human resources, information management, leadership, medication management, national patient safety goals, performance improvement, provision of care, treatment and services, and the rights and responsibilities of an individual.
"Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to meeting performance standards," said Palmer. "And we are blessed to be part of an accredited organization, and to know there are so many safeguards to go along with our efficient care."
To earn and maintain the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years.
"The accreditation process demonstrates our commitment to high quality patient care and patient safety; inviting an external accrediting body to our organization enables us to see the quality of our healthcare through the eyes of a surveyor," said Lana Bernat, Chief Quality Management.
Fort Drum MEDDAC staff members are proud to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation. They promise to continue to work together to develop and implement approaches and strategies that have the potential to improve care for the patients in the Fort Drum community.
Col. John A. McMurray, Fort Drum MEDDAC commander, congratulated the workforce on the achievement.
"This is a truly momentous accomplishment by an organization that does incredible work each and every day,"
The Joint Commission health care standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts, and patients. The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help organizations measure, assess and improve performance.
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