King’s Daughter’s Medical Center was reaffirmed recently as afacility working to provide improved quality health care when itreceived accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditationof Healthcare Organizations.

“We sought accreditation for our organization because we want todemonstrate our commitment to patient safety and quality care,”said Phillip Grady, KDMC chief executive officer. “We viewobtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step towardachieving excellence.”

For the past 30 years, KDMC has voluntarily participated in theJoint Commission survey process and used its recommendations toimprove any areas necessary.

Formed in 1951, the Joint Commission has been dedicated toimproving the quality of the nation’s health care throughaccreditation.

The commission evaluates medical facilities through unannouncedon-site visits and conducting surveys of the hospital’s managersand staff. Joint Commission representatives visited KDMC from June7 through June 9 and visited all areas of the hospital during thethree-day audit, Grady said.

“Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulatecontinuous, systematic and organization wide improvement in anorganization’s performance and the outcomes of care,” said RussellP. Massaro, M.D., executive vice president of the Division ofAccreditation Operations of the Joint Commission.

Grady spoke of the entire hospital staff and their daily effortsto strive for excellence in all areas of patient care, whichcontributed to their achievement of Joint Commissionaccreditation.

“Certainly, work on a continuous basis has meaning andsignificance,” Grady said. “We will continue to provide theeducation necessary to remain current with JCAHO standards andretain our high level of compliance.”

Grady called the accreditation “proof of an organization-widecommitment to provide quality care to patients on an ongoingbasis.”

Massaro said the accreditation is a note of achievement for thelocal facility.

“The community should be proud that King’s Daughters MedicalCenter is focusing on the most challenging goal – to continuouslyraise quality to higher levels,” he said.