1^st Choice Healthcare has earned re-accreditation from 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.

1^st Choice Healthcare underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite survey. During the review, a team of Joint Commission surveyors with expertise in ambulatory health care, evaluated compliance with ambulatory care standards related to a variety of areas, including coordination of care, monitoring for procedures that involve use of sedation or anesthesia, 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. Today, the Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation Program serves 2,100 ambulatory care providers, with more than 8,500 sites of care, which, in turn, serve more than 83 million patient visits annually.

“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 1^st Choice Healthcare and its staff for achieving this pinnacle demonstrating a commitment to patient safety and quality. Your passion, dedication and tenacity can ultimately improve patient care. Thank you for your commitment to patient safety and entrusting The Joint Commission to assist you.”

1^st Choice Healthcare is pleased to receive re-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 6 sites of 1^st Choice Healthcare continue to work together to develop and implement approaches and strategies that have the potential to improve care for the patients in our communities.”

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.