DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care Awarded Certification From The Joint Commission

DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for its Acquired Brain Injury program by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. The certification award recognizes DeKalb Medical LTAC’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.

DeKalb Medical LTAC underwent a rigorous on-site review in October. A Joint Commission expert evaluated DeKalb Medical LTAC for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management. DeKalb Medical LTAC also earned Gold Seal of Approval® re-certification of its respiratory failure and wound care services.

“Achieving Joint Commission certification and re-certification is a true testament to the quality of care we provide and our very skilled and compassionate staff,” DeKalb Medical LTAC Executive Director Rich Graham, FACHE, said. “We are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence.”

DeKalb Medical LTAC is a specialty-care hospital designed for patients with serious medical problems that require intense, personalized treatment for an extended period of time – usually 20 to 30 days – in a healing environment. The 40-bed, all-private suite hospital is located at 450 N. Candler St. in downtown Decatur, GA.

The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification Program, launched in 2002, is designed to evaluate clinical programs across the continuum of care. Certification requirements address three core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards; effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

"In achieving Joint Commission certification, DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients with acquired brain injury," Executive Director of Disease-Specific Care Certification at The Joint Commission Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., said. “Certification is a voluntary process and I commend DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

About 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 evaluates and accredits more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,300 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,500 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission currently certifies more than 2,000 disease-specific care programs, focused on the care of patients with chronic illnesses such as stroke, joint replacement, stroke rehabilitation, heart failure and many others. The Joint Commission also provides health care staffing services certification for more than 750 staffing offices. An independent, not-for-profit 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.

About DeKalb Medical

The DeKalb Regional Health System is comprised of more than 800 doctors skilled in 55 medical specialties. Known to most as “DeKalb Medical,” this regional system combines cutting-edge technology with compassion to effectively diagnose and treat patients. The 627-bed system includes DeKalb Medical at North Decatur (451 beds), DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care at Downtown Decatur (76 beds) and DeKalb Medical at Hillandale (100 beds), DeKalb Medical Physicians Group and the DeKalb Medical Foundation.

A leader in cancer, heart attack treatment and orthopedics, the not-for-profit health system and DeKalb Medical Physicians have been growing with metro-Atlanta’s medical needs since 1961.