Fort HealthCare has again been awarded a three year accreditation from the internationally recognized health care accrediting body, the Joint Commission. This review process is designed to help Fort HealthCare and healthcare organizations throughout the country continuously provide safe, high-quality care, treatment and services by identifying opportunities for improvement. The Joint Commission encourages organizations to use the accreditation process as an ongoing tool for compliance and operational improvement through education and training.
Fort HealthCare underwent an unannounced, critical review starting in June 2019. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated Fort HealthCare for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management. They surveyed the hospital and all affiliated provider clinics. The results of the accreditation offers validation that Fort HealthCare has continuously met the many performance standards specified by the Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Lisa Rudolph, Manager of Education Services and Coordinator of the Joint Commission Survey states “Fort HealthCare is committed to providing safe, quality care to all of our patients. Getting reaccredited by the Joint Commission confirms our commitment to excellent patient care.” Marie Wiesmann, Vice President of Nursing Services/Chief Nursing Officer added “We recognize Joint Commission accreditation as providing safety and high quality health care to our patients. Achieving accreditation from the Joint Commission is always a team effort at Fort HealthCare that will bring assurance to our patients that we provide the best care possible.”
The Joint Commission’s accreditation also includes a deemed status for CMS and is valid for up to three years. It is Fort HealthCare’s focus to continuously meet these national standards, while maintaining care processes for patients that are safe and meet high quality standards. Fort HealthCare has maintained this status continuously since 1952. Board Chair, Mary Behling commented, “The members of Fort HealthCare’s Board of Directors could not have been more pleased with the outcome of this review. The outstanding effort, pride, care and genuine investment all FHC employees put forth in the hospital, and the clinics, really came through.” Dr. James Fitzpatrick stated, “There was a great feeling of gratitude all the Board came away with for everyone who plays a role at Fort Health Care, in doing their jobs with care and diligence, which has allowed us to meet our mission of becoming the “healthiest community in Wisconsin!”
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 care. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization and is the nation’s oldest and largest standard setting and accrediting body in health care. To learn more about The Joint Commission visit www.jointcommission.org.
About Fort HealthCare
Fort HealthCare is committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities, with a vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long term basis. For more information, visit www.FortHealthCare.com.
