Anyone who has participated in a Joint Commission accreditation survey knows that a tremendous amount of work goes into preparing for the survey. In recent months, over half of Consulate Health Care’s Florida care centers have earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval. The Joint Commission is an independent organization that surveys health care organizations to make sure systems are in place for continuous quality improvement of all aspects of patient care and safety.
Whether you have been through a Joint Commission survey or not, we thought you might be interested in some highlights from one Consulate care center that recently earned its accreditation. Fletcher Health and Rehabilitation Center in Tampa Florida stands out because they were able to achieve their accreditation very quickly after being surveyed. We spoke with Scott Allen, the executive director at Fletcher for some more details about the accreditation experience at his care center.
First and foremost, Scott attributed the successful accreditation to the entire team at Fletcher. ”The team at Fletcher is a group of dedicated, hardworking individuals coming together as one to get the things done.” He stressed the fact that working in healthcare is time consuming and takes away from family time. He also mentioned that so many of the care center staff are mothers and fathers, and many are also in school. It’s clear that Scott shows appreciation for his staff, and their sacrifices that do not go unnoticed. He also thanked Kendra Ferrero, who is a clinical quality specialist for Consulate. Kendra is currently coaching our care centers through the JCAHO process and recently served as interim executive director for another Consulate care center, which became accredited in January 2018. Scott said that Kendra was one of the “warmest, kindest people I know,” and she was a terrific help in his survey process.
Fletcher’s quick Joint Commission turnaround was due in part to the fact that they had a very minimal number of RFIs (Requirements For Improvement). In fact, the Fletcher team was able to address and correct most of their four RFIs during the actual Joint Commission survey.
“Joint Commission focuses on systems,” Scott told us. He said that he has always been a believer in implementing “systems that work,” and not losing sight of the big picture by getting lost in the daily details. “We focused on the implementation of systems in accordance with not only the Joint Commission standards, but also the new Federal nursing home regulations,” he said. This is particularly challenging this year because of the recent numerous Federal regulation changes. Scott mentioned that the Joint Commission newsletter, published weekly by Consulate, was a tremendous resource to his team. His team reviewed each newsletter carefully to prepare for the survey.
Congratulations to Scott, the entire Fletcher team, and to all of the Consulate family members that came together to achieve a successful Joint Commission accreditation. We can’t wait to hear about all you accomplish in the future!
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