1st Choice Healthcare, Inc. announced that it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its nationally-recognized standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.
1st Choice Healthcare, Inc. underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site survey in April 2015. During the survey, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with ambulatory care standards related to a variety of areas, including coordination of care, monitoring for procedures, infection prevention and control, management of medications, and patient education and training.

Established in 1975, The Joint Commission’s Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation program encourages high quality patient care in all types of freestanding ambulatory care facilities. An estimated 2,100 organizations currently maintain Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation, awarded for a three-year period.

“Joint Commission accreditation provides ambulatory care organizations with the processes contributing to improvements in a variety of areas from the enhancement of staff education to the demonstration of leading practices within the ambulatory setting,” said Michael Kulczycki, M.B.A., CAE, executive director, Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation program, The Joint Commission. “We commend 1st Choice Healthcare for its efforts to become a quality improvement organization, and achieving this pinnacle demonstrating a commitment to patient safety and quality.”

“1st Choice Healthcare is pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Brigitte McDonald. CEO. “Staff from across the organization continue to work together to develop and implement approaches and strategies that have the potential to improve care for the patients in our community.”

The Joint Commission’s ambulatory health 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 organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

The Joint Commission
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 accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit 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.