Fairfield Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Bunting-Williams, Ph.D., announced today that FMH, Horizon Healthcare’s four Rural Health Clinics, and FMH Home Health has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation, Rural Health Clinic & Home Care 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.

Fairfield Memorial Hospital, Horizon Healthcare, and FMH Home Health recently underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site survey. During the review, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with hospital standards related to several areas, including emergency management, safety, quality improvement, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management. Surveyors also conducted on-site observations and interviews.  FMH Home Health was specifically evaluated on their compliance with home care standards reflecting key organization areas, including the provision of care, treatment and services, and leadership. The accreditation process also further validated the excellent care that is provided at the Horizon Healthcare clinics in Fairfield, Carmi, Cisne, and Grayville.

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. Established in 1988, The Joint Commission’s Home Care Accreditation program supports the efforts of its accredited organizations to help deliver safe, high quality care and services. More than 6,000 home care programs currently maintain accreditation, awarded for a three-year period, by The Joint Commission.

“FMH is pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Katherine Bunting- Williams, Ph.D., FMH CEO. “Staff from across the organization continue to work together to develop and implement approaches that have the potential to improve care for the patients in our community.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital, clinic and home care 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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