Jan. 15, 2008

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Communications Department
(320) 251-2700, ext. 74980

St. Cloud Hospital achieves re-accreditation from The Joint Commission

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud Hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety. The hospital has been continuously accredited since 1956.

“We sought re-accreditation for our organization because we want to demonstrate our commitment to patients’ safety and quality care,” said Craig Broman, St. Cloud Hospital president. “We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence.”

St. Cloud Hospital’s Home Care and Behavioral Health programs also earned accreditation.

“Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in an organization’s performance and the outcomes of care,” said Darlene Christiansen, executive director, Hospital Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “The community should be proud that St. Cloud Hospital is focusing on the most challenging goal -- to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels.”

The Joint Commission conducted an unannounced, on-site evaluation of St. Cloud Hospital on
Aug. 13-17, 2007. The accreditation award recognizes St. Cloud Hospital’s dedication to complying with the Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards on a continuous basis.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,800 other health care organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. In addition, the Joint Commission provides certification of disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

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