Finding Certified Health Care Organizations Near You - Quality Check(R) Now Features Disease-Specific Care, Health Care Staffing Services, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 02 May 2008 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Patients looking for information about where to go for their health care needs can now find Joint Commission organizations certified in specialty areas of care on The Joint Commission's Quality Check® website (http://www.qualitycheck.org). The inclusion of certified organizations adds to the existing resources for patients seeking information on Joint Commission accredited organizations.

Health care organization-specific reports are now available for organizations with certified programs such as primary stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, and heart failure as well as organizations earning health care staffing services certification.

The addition of certification programs gives patients and families access to finding quality care close to home. Website users can view, download or print Certification Quality Reports that feature a user-friendly format to help them review an organization's certified program information.

Certification Quality Reports include:

- Certification decision and effective date;
- National Patient Safety Goal compliance (as applicable);
- Last full review and last on-site review dates;
- Demographic information; and
- Certified locations of care.

The Joint Commission Certification Program for Disease-Specific Care provides a comprehensive evaluation of disease or condition-specific services.

Certification demonstrates excellence in fostering better outcomes by the integration and coordination of care. The Joint Commission Certification Program for Health Care Staffing provides a comprehensive evaluation of key processes such as verifying the credentials and competencies of health care staff.

Quality Check® users can locate health care providers in a specific geographic area or by the types of services they provide. Thousands of people turn to Quality Check® each month to find information about the more than 15,000 health care organizations that have earned The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,300 other health care organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. In addition, The Joint Commission provides certification of 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 http://www.jointcommission.org.

http://www.qualitycheck.org