On Tuesday, December 1, 2015 Flushing Hospital Medical Center was visited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHCO). The Joint Commission accredits and certifies over 20,000 health institutions across the United States.
Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationally as a symbol of quality and a reflection of an organization’s commitment to meet and excel in performance standards.
It was clear to Joint Commission surveyors that Flushing Hospital’s leadership has made patient safety their number one priority, as well as finding merit in the different programs to improve patient care and employee relations such as the Team Stepps training initiative, Good Catch program, as well as the Just Culture program.
Surveyors found relatively few areas that needed improvement and staff at all levels was complimented for their active engagement and participation during the process.
Overall, hospital initiatives received positive acclaim from the survey team, especially the seven-day-per-week Safety Huddle initiative, which was suggested for inclusion in the Joint Commission’s Best Practice Library.
Dr. Michael Epstein, leader of the survey team congratulated Flushing Hospital leadership and staff for moving the hospital toward becoming a High Reliability Organization.