PURVIS, Miss. -- South Mississippi State Hospital today announced it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.
South Mississippi State Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite survey May 10-12, 2016. During the review, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with hospital standards related to several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management. Surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
The Joint Commission has accredited hospitals for more than 60 years. More than 4,000 general, children’s, long-term acute, psychiatric, rehabilitation and specialty hospitals currently maintain accreditation from The Joint Commission, awarded for a three-year period. In addition, approximately 360 critical access hospitals maintain accreditation through a separate program.
“Joint Commission accreditation provides hospitals with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas from the enhancement of staff education to the improvement of daily business operations,” said Mark G. Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations, The Joint Commission. “In addition, our accreditation helps hospitals enhance their risk management and risk reduction strategies. We commend South Mississippi State Hospital for its efforts to become a quality improvement organization.”
“South Mississippi State Hospital is pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Clint Ashley, director of South Mississippi State Hospital. “Staff from across the organization continue to work together to develop and implement approaches that improve care for the patients in our community.”
The Joint Commission’s hospital standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help hospitals measure, assess and improve performance.
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The Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.
South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis is an acute-care, regional behavioral health program that provides services for adult individuals with mental illness. SMSH serves Lamar, Forrest, Marion, Perry, Greene, Wayne, Jones, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Pearl River, Stone, George, Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties.
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For further information, please call Donna Boutwell at 601-794-0219.