Saint Francis Healthcare System awarded Hospital and Home Care Accreditation from The Joint Commission

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Saint Francis Healthcare System has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital and Home Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

“We are extremely proud of this accreditation,” says Dr. Maryann Reese, president and chief executive officer of Saint Francis Healthcare System. “Every member of the Saint Francis Family plays an integral role in turning acceptable care into exceptional care. We remain committed to providing the safest and highest quality of care to the communities we are called to serve.”

Saint Francis Medical Center underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite survey on Jan. 14 – 17.

During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management, emergency management, infection prevention and control, medication management, environment of care, and delivering and facilitating clinical care at Saint Francis Medical Center.

A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors visited home care patients in their homes and evaluated Saint Francis Home Health for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help healthcare organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys healthcare 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 Saint Francis Healthcare System for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.”

“The Joint Commission surveys hospitals all over the world to ensure they are meeting their minimum standards of care. The Joint Commission also serves as a deeming authority for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ensuring the hospital is continually compliant with the Conditions of Participation required for certification by CMS,” said Lanae C. Romann, RN, MSN, accreditation compliance coordinator at Saint Francis. “The Joint Commission accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing safe, high-quality care.

For more information, please visit www.jointcommission.org.