Accreditation

Hospital renovation project receives JCAHO praise

Accreditation Connection, April 25, 2005

Aspen Valley Hospital in Colorado earned accolades last week from the JCAHO for its renovation and expansion project in the operating department, according to The Aspen Times. When the accreditor surveyed the hospital in 2002, it left the facility with instructions to improve the department by May 2005.  

In 2002, the JCAHO found issues of overcrowding in the operating rooms. For example, patient changeables such as sterile gloves, screws, and operating instruments were stored outside the department's sanitary environment. Even though staff transported the changeables in sterile containers, JCAHO surveyors told staff these materials must be close at hand. Another problem was that one of the three operating rooms was too small to safely perform larger procedures, the story says.

The hospital spent $2 million on revamping the quarters and buying new equipment to create a better operating department. Renovations included enlarging the smallest operating room, installing several storage closets, and building a new staff lounge.

To read The Aspen Times article, click here.

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