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Show Hospital, Clinics Get Accreditation Garfield Memorial Hospital and Clinics have been awarded a Certificate of Accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH). JCAH accreditation is evidence of Garfield Memorial Hospital and Clinics efforts to provide quality health care. JCAH accreditation demonstrates an organization's commitment to quality patientclient care. The accreditation ac-creditation process also provides an on-site evaluation based on realistic, realis-tic, nationally recognized standards and it motivates the staff to improve im-prove services and provide better care. The process of accreditation also improves not only the quality of professional care but increases the opportunity for internship, residency residen-cy and continuing educational programs. pro-grams. To become accredited, Garfield Memorial Hospital and Clinics voluntarily requested an on-site evaluation by JCAH surveyors who applied standards designed to further the objectives of quality patient care and the safety of the environment in which that care is provided. These national standards represent a consensus con-sensus among health care professionals profes-sionals and are periodically updated to reflect changes in health care delivery. de-livery. The JCAH survey team consists of health care professionals trained to evaluate the hospital's program's efforts to provide quality care. The surveyors also consult with the professional and administrative staffs to help them in their efforts to continually improve patient care. JCAH is a private, not-for-profit organization created by and composed com-posed of health care professionals. It is governed by a board of commissioners com-missioners whose members are appointed ap-pointed by the American College of Surgeons, American College of Physicians, American Dental Association, American Hospital Association, and the American Medical Association. A public member is appointed by the Board of Commissioners to represent consumer concerns. Garfield Memorial Hospital was first accredited in 1977 and has held JCAH accreditation since that time. JCAH accreditation requires much dedication and work by the staff for the standards applied to a small hospital arc the same as those required re-quired of all other hospitals regardless regard-less of size. Wayne Ross, administrator, at the hospital, praised the work of the physicians and staff in obtaining a full three-year accreditation. "This award demonstrates our staffs commitment to providing excellent health care in our service area," commented Ross. In the past, only the hospital was accredited, but this year the clinics were included, Ross said. |