NMCP Again Earns Re-accreditation after The Joint Commission Survey

PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES

02.20.2018

Story by Rebecca Perron 

Naval Medical Center - Portsmouth

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), along with its seven branch health clinics and two TRICARE Prime Clinics, underwent the rigorous triennial onsite survey from The Joint Commission (TJC) from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2, which has resulted in re-accreditation from TJC until 2021. Since NMCP’s last TJC survey, the staff of the medical center has been vigilant in maintaining high quality patient care standards.
Additionally during this week, the Navy’s Medical Inspector General (MEDIG) also inspected NMCP’s compliance to the Department of the Navy (DON), Department of Defense (DOD) and the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) programs.
“We had a very successful triennial Joint Commission survey,” said Lt. Cmdr. Sara Naczas, Joint Commission fellow at NMCP. “The goal of the surveyors is to find the medical center’s potential areas of risk to patients. They found a few areas for us to improve, but were impressed overall by the well-developed systems and processes we have in place to keep quality high and patients safe. We also became the first Navy medical center to achieve Patient Centered Medical Home certification for The Joint Commission.”
During the review, a team of TJC expert surveyors evaluated compliance with standards related to areas such as provision of care, emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control practices, leadership and medication management. Surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews with staff and patients.
The purpose of the survey is external validation to the quality of care that NMCP provides. NMCP’s continuous process improvement, however, is not just for the sake of the survey, but for the next patient who seeks care.
“The Joint Commission surveyors effusively praised the expertise, professionalism and dedication of our staff at all levels,” said Capt. Christopher Culp, NMCP’s commanding officer. “The lead surveyor, in out-briefing the command, presented five slides full of ‘best’ or ‘leading’ programs, processes or innovations. The results of the week are simply outstanding. I could not be prouder to be a part of the NMCP team and family.”
On the list of nearly four dozen “leading” or “best” practices were the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, high-level disinfection processes in several areas, suicide risk assessment process, documentation of care, time-out procedures to ensure correct procedure and the correct patient, and noted professional staff devoted to patient centered care.
Additional items on the list that relate to process improvement projects included the operating room checklists, use of the TRICARE Online Secure Messaging Service (formerly Relay Health), central appointment utilization and the method to choose projects for process improvement.
During the MEDIG inspection, 68 command programs – from accounting to victim witness assistance – were reviewed and assessed. The inspection team has the responsibility of ensuring all DOD, DON and BUMED programs are compliant with higher authority guidance, policies and statutes.
The command’s MEDIG inspection preparations began in earnest two and a half years ago with periodic program managers’ meetings, program managers’ briefs to the Command Executive Board, regional mock inspection, and program assessments and binder reviews by Command Evaluation. As a result, 24 individuals and six teams were singled-out and cited by Capt. Lena Hartzell, the Medical Inspector General, for their excellent program management.
“The MEDIG team was equally lavish in praise for the staff (as The Joint Commission surveyors were),” Culp said. “All programs were judged fully effective. Bravo Zulu to our program managers.”
The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.

• Date Taken: 02.20.2018
• Date Posted: 02.20.2018 09:34
• Story ID: 266505
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VA, US