Healthy Living Newsletter
Mercy Hospital Receives Gold Seal of Approval from Joint Commission
 By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety, Mercy Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval.
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission is dedicated to continuously improving the safety and quality of the nation’s health care through voluntary accreditation. Formerly known as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JACHO), The Joint Commission’s unannounced, on-site survey of Mercy Hospital occurred in mid-September 2007.
“Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvements in an organization’s performance and the outcomes of care,” comments Darlene Christiansen, Executive Director, Hospital Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “The community should be proud that Mercy Hospital is focusing on the most challenging goal — to continually raise quality and safety to higher levels.”
“It is important to note that The Joint Commission surveyors commented on the level to which Mercy Hospital staff understood the importance of the level of quality to which the survey is dedicated as well as the comfort our staff offered in working with the surveyors,” comments Peter Karadjoff, Mercy Hospital President & CEO.
“Furthermore, the surveyors noted the outstanding appearance of all our facilities,” Karadjoff continues. “They also reflected that they were impressed with the staff’s commitment to the Mercy Hospital Values, especially as they relate to the care of the poor and underserved.”
The Joint Commission accreditation includes a three-year approval period. In conducting the process, surveyors utilized tracer methodology and observation of direct patient care.
“To put it simply,” Karadjoff continues, “the surveyors reviewed our services, focusing on quality care and safety in real time, reviewing patient charts and performing interviews with patients who were receiving care and treatment during the survey period.
“This process and the successful results from The Joint Commission are an outstanding example of Mercy Hospital’s focus on continuous standards compliance and improvement,” concludes Karadjoff. “It also emphasizes Mercy Hospital’s commitment to maintaining care processes for patients that are safe and that meet high quality standards.”
This important announcement follows similar Full-Accreditation awarded earlier this year to Lakeshore Surgery Center, LLC, affiliated with Mercy Hospital, and located in the Mercy Health Center, in Fort Gratiot Township.
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