Good Samaritan Hospital Receives JCAHO Re-Accreditation
Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, N.Y., the flagship hospital of the Bon Secours Charity Health System, announced that it has retained its accredited standing following an extensive on-site review of the hospitals systems and procedures by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
(PRWEB) March 3, 2004 -- Good Samaritan Hospital, the flagship hospital of the Bon Secours Charity Health System, today announced that it has retained its accredited standing following an extensive on-site review of the hospitals systems and procedures by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
JCAHO accreditation means Good Samaritan has met the highest quality national standards for acute care hospitals. Formed in 1951, JCAHO is dedicated to improving the quality of the nation's health care through voluntary accreditation of hospitals, and other health care organizations. JCAHO is the nation's oldest and largest health care accrediting body. For more than 50 years, JCAHO has developed state-of-the-art standards and evaluated the compliance of health care organizations to the standards.
For the first time, Good Samaritan Hospital and Good Samaritan Home Care were reviewed by JCAHO in an integrated survey. Additionally, this survey was conducted as a part of a very new process that JCAHO has implemented, where institutions are evaluated based on continuous learning by the staff, and ongoing improvements in systems and procedures. In fact, the JCAHO staff spent roughly 80% of its survey time with the staff, honing in on the staffs continuing commitment to increasing its knowledge base while improving patient care. The JCAHO survey team was very complimentary of the entire Good Samaritan Hospital and Good Samaritan Home Care staffs, which is reflected in the fact that only minor recommendations were offered.
Michael Schnieders, Executive Vice President and Administrator of Good Samaritan Hospital, voiced his satisfaction with the JCAHO re-accreditation. "This is a very positive and affirming event for Good Samaritan," said Schnieders. We're proud that the Joint Commission has reiterated its accreditation of the high quality and standard of care that Good Samaritan Hospital provides to the people of Rockland and surrounding counties."
That sentiment was echoed by Toni Clark, Executive Vice President of Good Samaritan Home Care, who noted, "The Joint Commission survey teams visited with our staff and patients in home care settings and reaffirmed what we hear from our patients -- that Good Samaritan Home Care provides excellent care. Because JCAHO standards are regarded as the most rigorous in the industry, our achieving re-accreditation demonstrates our desire to continue to provide the highest level of care."
JCAHO accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to meeting certain performance standards. To earn and maintain accreditation, an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a JCAHO survey team at least every three years.
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations address quality and safety of care. Infection control, emergency management, patient rights, human resources and performance improvement are examples of the performance areas representing the 500-plus hospital accreditation standards. The Joint Commission review of Good Samaritan Hospital and Good Samaritan Home Care took place between February 3 and February 6, 2004.
About The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations:
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is the nation's oldest and largest health care accrediting body. For more than 50 years, JCAHO has developed state-of-the-art standards and evaluated the compliance of health care organizations to the standards.
An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission's mission is to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. Health care organizations voluntarily pursue accreditation as a means of demonstrating their adherence to the highest quality standards and practices. Accreditation remains in effect for three years.
To achieve JCAHO accreditation, a health care organization undergoes an on-site evaluation, known as a survey, which is usually three days. A team of surveyors meets with the health care organization personnel, recipients of care and visitors, observes the delivery of care, and reviews systems and processes to assess the organization's compliance with standards.
About Good Samaritan Home Care:
Good Samaritan Home Care services are provided by Good Samaritan Hospital Certified Home Care Agency, and are available throughout the patient service area of Bon Secours Charity Health System covering Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties in New York, and Pike County in Pennsylvania. Since 1962, Good Samaritan Home Care has been providing a wide variety of home health care services, from neonatal to geriatric care under a variety of programs that include Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA) , Community Mental Health Program, Infusion Therapy Program and Rehabilitative Services, Maternal and Child Health Program, Long Term Home Health Care Program (LTHHCP) and AIDS Home Care Program (AHCP). Good Samaritan Hospital Home Health Agency programs are licensed by the New York State Department of Health and accredited by the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Health Care Organization (JCAHO).
About Good Samaritan Hospital:
Good Samaritan Hospital is part of the Bon Secours Charity Health System, which also includes St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick, NY and Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis, NY. Additionally, Bon Secours Charity Health System provides the services of a Certified Home Health Agency, two long-term care facilities, an assisted living and adult home facility and several other medical programs. For more information contact Good Samaritan Hospital at 845-368-5000.
For more information, contact John Lonsdorf at the R&J Group, 973-331-1070.
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