Hardeeville, SC, October 10, 2011 –Coastal Carolina Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for its Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 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 Coastal Carolina Hospital’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the- art standards.
Coastal Carolina Hospital recently underwent a rigorous on-site survey. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated the hospital for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.
"In achieving Joint Commission certification, Coastal Carolina Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients with COPD," 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 Coastal Carolina Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”
"With Joint Commission certification, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence,” says Bill Masterton, CEO. “Achieving Joint Commission certification in COPD, for our organization, is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care we provide.”
The COPD program at Coastal is an individualized program that helps improve the well being of people with chronic breathing problems. The program works with medical therapy and includes exercise training, nutritional counseling and education on the lung disease or condition, energy conserving techniques and breathing strategies.
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; and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.
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.
About Coastal Carolina Hospital
Coastal Carolina Hospital is a 41-bed acute care hospital located at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Highway 278 in Hardeeville, S. C. The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of Jasper and Beaufort counties since November 2004. The hospital provides acute care services including intensive care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, surgical services, outpatient physical rehabilitation, hyperbarics and wound healing, and 24-hour emergency treatment. Coastal Carolina Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation’s largest hospital accreditation agency. Learn more about Coastal Carolina Hospital at www.coastalhospital.com.