February 8, 2007
Joint Commission survey generates high praise for Dana-Farber
Dana-Farber received high marks in this year's accreditation survey by the Joint Commission (formerly known as the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, or JCAHO).
At an exit conference on Jan. 31, following a three-day visit to Dana-Farber, the Joint Commission surveyors praised staff members' level of professionalism and quality of caring. Dana-Farber received a similarly glowing report from a second team of surveyors who reviewed the clinical laboratories at Dana-Farber and partnering Brigham and Women's Hospital.
The site visit is a key part of the Joint Commission's hospital accreditation process. In recent years, the process has changed to encourage ongoing quality assurance and improvement, rather than a single-minded focus on the survey itself. During their visit, the surveyors spoke with patients and staff, followed a patient through a day's treatment, and examined clinical facilities and operations at both Dana-Farber and its satellite clinic at Faulkner Hospital.
The three-member team that visited Dana-Farber will issue a formal report of its findings in a few months.
"The surveyors' parting comments were that this was one of the finest hospitals they have ever visited," Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, wrote in a hospital-wide e-mail to staff. "I believe that this is a tribute to all that you do every day, and I applaud you for your efforts to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care to our patients and families."