News Room
Plano Recieves Certification from Joint Commission – Two with Distinction
http://themedicalcenterofplano.com/February 15, 2013
Heart-failure program one of only three in the state to receive advanced certification
The Medical Center of Plano announced today that The Joint Commission, an independent healthcare accrediting organization, has granted certification or re-certification to five of the hospital’s disease-specific programs.
Advanced certification went to the hospital’s programs for the treatment of diabetes and heart failure. The latter is one of only three heart-failure programs in Texas so honored.
With advanced certification comes renewal of the TJC Gold Seal of Approval® previously awarded to the heart-failure program. For the inpatient diabetes program, the certification was an initial one.
Two other disease-specific programs at The Medical Center of Plano – the hospital’s Primary Stroke Center and its program for the treatment of acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs), or heart attacks – also had their seals of approval renewed by TJC.
The fifth certification went to the hospital’s spinal surgery program, encompassing procedures to treat disease affecting the vertebrae and vertebral discs.
The Medical Center of Plano underwent a rigorous on-site survey of its spinal surgery program in December. Similar surveys of the heart-failure, AMI, and inpatient diabetes programs were conducted in October. The Primary Stroke Center was surveyed in September.
Teams of experts evaluated how well the hospital had fulfilled the requirements of TJC’s Disease-Specific Care Certification program, including leadership, infection prevention and control, and medication management.
Also carefully reviewed was the hospital’s compliance with requirements specific to each disease or disorder. This includes the collection of core-measure data, and use of that data to bring about improved performance.
“Our hospital is thoroughly committed to providing care which centers on the latest scientific research in order to ensure ongoing improvement in treatment,” said Troy A. Villarreal, FACHE, chief executive officer of The Medical Center of Plano. “These forms of recognition allow us to call extra attention to the exceptional care we provide, and to inspire even greater confidence in our capabilities among members of the community.”
The advanced certification for heart failure was presented with the concurrence of the Dallas-based American Heart Association, and attests to the hospital’s having met or exceeded performance standards considered critical to securing better health outcomes over the long term.
The Medical Center of Plano is now authorized to display The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark, which signify advanced certification for the heart-failure program. The seal and Heart-Check mark indicate that the hospital provides the “next generation of heart failure care,” and will enable patients to quickly identify the hospital as one that has achieved a number of important treatment goals.
For more information from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association on Disease-Specific Care certification and advanced certification, visit www.jointcommission.org or www.heart.org/myhospital.