Joint Commission Awards Advanced Certification in Heart
Failure to Abington Memorial Hospital
ABINGTON, PA (October 7, 2011) — Abington Memorial Hospital
has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for its Comprehensive
Heart Failure Program by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s
national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care.
The certification award recognizes Abington’s dedication to continuous
compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.
The hospital underwent a rigorous on-site survey to achieve
certification. Joint Commission surveyors evaluated compliance with standards
of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection
prevention and control, leadership and medication management.
The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification
Program, launched in 2002, is designed to evaluate clinical programs across the
continuum of care. Certification requirements address three core areas:
- Compliance with consensus-based national standards
- Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines
to manage and optimize care
- An organized approach to performance measurement and
improvement activities
"It is a great honor for our team to receive The Joint
Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval, and to be recognized for our work in cardiac
care," said Robert A. Watson, III, M.D., chief, Cardiology Division. “Over
the 20 years that I have been a member of the Division of Cardiology, I have
witnessed an incredible transformation into a state-of-the-art cardiac
facility.”
Abington Memorial Hospital provides a full range of cardiac
care services, including inpatient cardiac care, cardiac rehabilitation,
cardiac catheterization, cardiac surgery, heart and heart valve reconstruction,
mitral and aortic heart valve repair, heart valve replacements, the Ross
procedure, heart valve transplants, ventricular remodeling and adult congenital
cardiac surgery. In the last several years, The Pilla Heart Center has
established several collaborative programs that will benefit patients,
including The Porter Institute for Valvular Heart Disease, Comprehensive Heart
Failure Program, the Heart Rhythm Center and the Blank Vascular Center.
"The Joint Commission distinction of heart failure
services at Abington Memorial Hospital is a testament to the clinical excellence
of both our medical and surgical cardiac team who provide exemplary care to
patients who wish to be treated at a proven center of excellence," said,
Rohinton J. Morris, M.D., chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery Division. "Whether
patients have a cardiac valve problem, an abnormal heart rhythm, coronary
artery blockages, a congenital cardiac issue, or heart muscle failure, they
will be well cared for, comforted and gently guided during their visit."
With more than 40 full-time members in the various fields of
cardiovascular diseases, The Pilla Heart Center has significantly extended its
ability to utilize state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and procedures to deal
with all of the cardiac disease states. The facility is among the most
comprehensive in the Delaware Valley from the standpoint of diagnostic
equipment, collaborative and innovative programs for disease state management,
accessibility to cardiovascular interventions, and clinical research which
continues to keep AMH on the cutting edge of therapy.
"In achieving Joint Commission certification, Abington
Memorial Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care
for its patients with heart failure," says Jean Range, M.S., R.N.,
C.P.H.Q. executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint
Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and I commend Abington
Memorial Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its
standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to
continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other
stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to
excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.
The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care
organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission also
provides certification of more than 1,700 disease-specific care programs,
primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent,
not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and
largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about
The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
