ABERDEEN, S.D. (Press Release) – Avera St. Luke’s Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
Avera St. Luke’s underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review during which a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with hospital standards spanning several areas including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management.
“We repeatedly choose to be evaluated by The Joint Commission for accreditation because the organization’s standards are set above and beyond the national norm, which pushes us to do our best every single day,” said Todd Forkel, Avera St. Luke’s President and CEO. “Striving for that level and continuity of care ensures that we are the best that we can be for our patients.”
The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
“As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Avera St. Luke’s for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.”
Avera St. Luke’s also received the Gold Seal of Approval in 2016. The nationally recognized accreditation lasts for three years.
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.