The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital, Home Care, and Behavioral Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards.
The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care, according to a press release from the VA.
John J. Pershing VA Medical Center underwent a rigorous, unannounced, onsite review June 14-17. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with hospital, home care, and behavioral health care standards spanning several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, medication management, nursing, life safety, human resources, national patient safety goals, and rights and responsibilities of the individual.
The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, providers and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
“As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible,” said Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.”
Paul Hopkins, medical center director at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, explained the survey process further.
“This past June 2022, John J. Pershing had our Joint Commission Survey. This objective evaluation process helps health care organizations measure, assess, and improve performance,” Hopkins said. “We were measured utilizing standards focused on important patient, individual, and organization functions that are essential to providing safe, high-quality care.
Continuing, Hopkins said, “John J Pershing had a very successful review, earning The Joint Commission’s “Gold Seal,” with some minor findings in which we will review and utilize High Reliability and system redesign processes, while engaging our frontline staff, to help create an efficient and safe process for our veterans.”
He also was grateful to the entire team of professionals at the medical center for not only earning the Gold Seal, but also for the care they provide to veterans daily.
“I want to say thank you to all John J Pershing employees for your dedication in caring and providing that greatest care anywhere for the heroes we serve,” he said.
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website at www.jointcommission.org.