FORT POLK, La. — Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval®, reaffirming the hospital’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care to Soldiers, Families, and the Fort Polk community.
The Gold Seal of Approval is a nationally and internationally recognized symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s compliance with The Joint Commission’s rigorous performance standards. BJACH underwent a comprehensive on-site evaluation that examined patient care, clinical processes, safety practices, and organizational performance.
The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest accrediting body, evaluating health care organizations to promote continuous improvement and patient safety.
“This accreditation is an objective evaluation of our hospital’s performance,” said Ria Moore, a registered nurse and The Joint Commission coordinator for BJACH. “It demonstrates our unwavering commitment to providing safe, high-quality care to every patient. More importantly, it shows that quality and safety are not something we focus on only during a survey — they are part of what we do every day.”
BJACH is surveyed every three years; however, hospital leaders emphasize that quality and patient safety are sustained year-round. Accreditation standards are embedded into daily operations across inpatient, outpatient, ancillary, and administrative departments.
“To ensure continuous improvement, we’ve moved away from infrequent, paper-based exercises and toward a more automated, user-friendly approach,” Moore said. “We conduct regular patient-care reviews that follow care processes across departments, review data consistently, and address any breakdowns in care as they occur. This creates a culture where quality is everyone’s responsibility.”
Stacy Hall, a registered nurse and chief of clinical quality management for BJACH, said Joint Commission accreditation strengthens patient safety and risk management by reinforcing evidence-based practices throughout the hospital.
“Joint Commission standards provide the foundation for a proactive approach to patient safety,” Hall said. “They guide how we implement clinical practice guidelines, measure performance, and improve outcomes. By adhering to these standards, we promote consistent, high-quality care, stronger teamwork, and a safer environment for both patients and staff.”
Hall added that accreditation aligns with the Defense Health Agency’s focus on high-reliability health care and supports BJACH’s mission.
“The principles behind Joint Commission accreditation emphasize leadership engagement, continuous improvement, and a strong culture of safety,” Hall said. “Those principles guide how we care for our patients and support our staff every day.”
Col. Patrick W. Miller, hospital commander, said the achievement reflects BJACH’s values and the culture the team works to uphold every day.
“This accreditation is a testament to the professionalism and teamwork of our BJACH staff,” Miller said. “It reflects a culture rooted in caring for our patients, supporting one another, and remaining committed to providing safe, high-quality care for the Soldiers, Families, and community we serve.”
For patients and Families, the Gold Seal of Approval offers reassurance.
“When patients see the Gold Seal, they can be confident that BJACH has voluntarily undergone a rigorous evaluation and met the highest standards of care,” Moore said. “It reflects our promise to continually improve and to provide the best possible care to those who trust us with their health.”
Hospital leaders emphasized that accreditation is not simply about passing an inspection, but about accountability, transparency, and sustained excellence.
“Earning Joint Commission accreditation again shows that we care — about our patients, our staff, and our community,” Moore said. “We want to be better tomorrow than we were today.”