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Certification opens new opportunities for hospitals

Briefings on The Joint Commission, November 1, 2005

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Briefings on The Joint Commission.

Approval gives organizations marketing edge

Learning objectives: After reading this article, you will be able to

1. identify two certification programs currently in development

2. explain why more hospitals in the South may seek stroke certification

With an increased public focus on healthcare quality and state legislatures considering laws regulating certain treatments, more hospitals are considering JCAHO disease-specific certifications.

The public now has access to Medicare quality data on treatments such as heart attack care online at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov . And some states have either passed or are considering laws that would require emergency medical services (EMS) to transport stroke patients to certified stroke care centers, which could force more organizations to seek JCAHO certification.

"The first and most important aspect of what we do is caring for patients, and we want to make sure they have the best outcomes," says Missi Halvorsen, RN, BSN, senior consultant for JCAHO and regulatory accreditation at Baptist Health in Jacksonville, FL.

Baptist Health recently applied for stroke certification with the JCAHO. Hospitals typically undergo a survey one year after they apply for certification, Halvorsen says.

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Briefings on The Joint Commission.

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