LRMC, Army clinics to undergo on-site survey

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, its six Army health clinics located throughout Germany, Belgium and Brussels, and its health center in Italy will undergo a rigorous on-site survey Monday to April 22.

A team of joint commission expert surveyors will evaluate LRMC for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management.

Maintaining joint commission accreditation demonstrates LRMC’s commitment to the highest level of care for its patients and the community it serves. Col. (Dr.) John Cho, LRMC hospital commander, said joint commission accreditation provides LRMC with a framework to take the hospital to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence, sustaining safety and continually improving the care it provides.

The survey team will be visiting LRMC and its health clinics. Once at these locations, joint commission surveyors will be conducting interviews with leadership, staff members, validating critical processes and policies, and observing how care is being rendered in all settings. This survey also includes verifying the facilities and equipment are safe for patient care delivery.

Hospitals seek joint commission accreditation because it:
» Helps organize and strengthen patient safety efforts
» Strengthens community confidence in the quality and safety of care, treatment and services
» Provides a competitive edge in the marketplace
» Improves risk management and risk reduction
» May reduce liability insurance costs
» Provides education on good practices to improve business operations
» Provides professional advice and counsel, enhancing staff education
» Provides a customized, intensive review
» Enhances staff recruitment and development
» Provides deeming authority for Medicare certification
» Recognized by insurers and other third parties
» Provides a framework for organizational structure and management
» May fulfill regulatory requirements in select states

LRMC is extending an invitation to the community to meet with the surveyors between Monday and April 22. For more information or for an appointment, contact Lt. Col. Jose Velez, Quality Management Division and Joint Commission Readiness chief, at 590-7895 or jose.velez@amedd.army.mil.

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 U.S. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. To learn more about the Joint Commission, visit www.jointcommission.org.

(Courtesy of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Public Affairs)