Cottage Earns Gold Seal of Approval from Joint Commission for Knee and Hip Surgery
Cottage has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals. The accreditation award recognizes Cottage’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.
Cottage underwent a rigorous unannounced on-site survey in the summer of 2011. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated Cottage for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.
“In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital have demonstrated their commitment to the highest level of care for its patients,” says Mark Pelletier, R.N., M.S., executive director, Hospital Programs, Accreditation and Certification Services, The Joint Commission. “Accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend Cottage for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”
“The certifications represent a true multi-disciplinary effort that has its roots in almost every department of the organization,” says Gary Milgram, service line director for Neurosciences and Orthopedics. “Of remarkable note is that the surveyor requested permission to send many of our program “elements” to the JC home office as examples of “best practice” for consideration in the development of national standards.”
In addition, both Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital earned the Aetna Institute of Quality award for knee and hip surgery. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital also earned this award for spine surgery. Both hospitals also earned the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Center of Distinction award for knee and hip surgery.
The Joint Commission’s hospital standards address important functions relating to the care of patients and the management of hospitals. The standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, providers, measurement experts and patients.
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 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. 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 Cottage Health System
The not-for-profit Cottage Health System includes Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital — and its associated Cottage Children’s Hospital and Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. Last year, the Cottage hospitals provided inpatient care for 21,000 people, treated 65,000 patients through their 24-hour emergency departments and helped deliver 2,500 newborns.
