Since Redmond Medical Center in Rome was built in 1972, Redmond’s cardiology department has been its foundational service line. It has performed more than 80,000 cath procedures to diagnose acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) or — as more commonly referred to — heart attacks.
Because of this experience, Redmond applied for AMI Certification through The Joint Commission (TJC) and this month received the Gold Seal of Approval for healthcare quality. The Joint Commission awarded Redmond the Disease-Specific Care Certification for AMI.
The cardiology program was evaluated against Joint Commission standards through an assessment of a program’s processes, the program’s ability to evaluate and improve care within its own organization and interviews with patients and staff. The certification required a three-day inspection by TJC, compliance with national guidelines, submission of data, and will continue to require monthly updates to retain the certification. The certification was awarded with no recommendations for improvement.
“This certification means Redmond does the right things and does them well for cardiology patients,” said Jean E. Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., the executive director of Disease-Specific Care Certification on The Joint Commission.
“Redmond voluntarily pursued this comprehensive, independent evaluation to enhance the safety and quality of care we provide,” said Brenda Waltz, Redmond CEO. “We’re proud to achieve this distinction.”
Marsha Colwell, cardiovascular service line director said, “My own experience of having a family member cared for by the Redmond cardiology team only strengthens my opinion of the superiority of our team.”
The Joint Commission launched its Disease-Specific Care Certification program in 2002. It is the first program of its kind in the country to certify disease management programs. A list of programs certified by the Joint Commission is available at jointcommission.org.
