COURT HOUSE – It was a surprise visit, but the results were as expected.
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) showed up unannounced at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital June 21 and scrutinized all aspects of medical care for three days.
The verdict, delivered verbally prior to leaving June 23: “We did very well,” said Thomas Piratzky, vice president of public relations and marketing at the hospital.
The formal, written report will come in several weeks.
“They were very complimentary in some areas,” said Piratzky, “especially the pharmacy and our emergency services.
“There were some areas for improvement,” he said. “That’s typical of any hospital.”
He noted JCAHO’s standards “keep changing.” But the point is to show a hospital meets national standards for patient safety and quality of care.
Burdett was last inspected, and approved, in 2003, getting its best ever rating with no recommendations and an overall score of 97.
JCAHO is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits some 9,000 hospitals in the U.S.
Contact Zelnik at (609) 886-8600 Ext. 27 or: jzelnik@cmcherald.com
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