DENNISON-Twin City Hospital in Dennison has achieved the "Gold Seal of Approval" for health care quality accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Also achieving accreditation was Twin City Hospital's Home Health Services Program.

          Joint Commission accreditation means Twin City Hospital has demonstrated compliance with national standards for patient safety and quality of care. The award of accreditation is for the three-year period ending in April 2006. "We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence," remarked Twin City Hospital Chief Executive Officer Fred Makowski.

          Twin City Hospital received a score of 98% on their recent quality review. "According to officials at the Joint Commission, only 7% of hospitals surveyed receive a score of 98% or better. We are pleased to be a part of that top 7%," exclaimed Makowski. "Our Home Health Services Program received a score of 99%. Approximately 12% of surveyed home health programs receive this score or higher. I am proud of the employees, physicians, board members and volunteers who are instrumental to Twin City Hospital's success."

          "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," says Kurt Patton, executive director, Hospital Accreditation Program, Joint Commission. "The community should be proud that Twin City Hospital is focusing on the most challenging goal-to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels."

          Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 17,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including approximately 9,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and 8,000 other health care organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care 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.