NKCH Earns Gold Seal of Approval for Cardiac, Orthopedic and Stroke Programs
January 5, 2021Categories: Feature
NKCH has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® and certification for Comprehensive Cardiac Center, Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement, and Primary Stroke Center. Driven by the hospital's commitment to enhanced patient care and safety, these recognitions distinguish these service lines on a national level.
“Achieving three national certifications in a short period of time reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals. We are committed to addressing the healthcare needs of our community at the highest level,” said Kerri Jenkins, senior vice president and chief operating officer at NKCH.
The Joint Commission certifications were aggressively pursued over a short one-month period. Despite the challenges this presented, staff met the rigorous demands of TJC’s surveys. During the evaluation, surveyors talked with patients, doctors, nurses and support staff. They also closely reviewed NKCH’s processes, procedures, and documentation/closed records to determine the quality of care and evaluate compliance with TJC’s strict quality of care and patient safety standards.
Comprehensive Cardiac Center
Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association, Comprehensive Cardiac Center certification demonstrates NKCH’s ability to deliver high-quality care at every patient touchpoint.
- Demonstrate coordinated patient care
- Identify and treat high-risk patients early
- Meet or exceed required number of heart procedures
- Provide proof of ongoing quality improvement
- Provide staff, patients and the community with ongoing cardiovascular disease education
- Heart attack in which one of the heart’s main arteries is blocked (ST elevation myocardial infarction)
- Heart attack (acute myocardial infarction)
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Cardiac arrest resuscitation
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures
- Non-surgical treatment for percutaneous coronary interventions
- Valve replacement/repair
Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement
With TJC projecting a 174% increase in hip replacements and a 673% increase in knee replacements over the next two decades, high-quality orthopedic care is increasingly important.
NKCH was committed to providing safe and effective total knee and hip replacements prior to its recent certification. With a strong foundation already in place, the program was able to achieve Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement certification, a higher tier of TJC recognition held by just three Missouri hospitals and one Kansas hospital.
Offered in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Joint Replacement Registry, Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement certification required NKCH to demonstrate it has a comprehensive program that includes:
- Consistent communication and collaboration between healthcare providers
- A pre-surgery consultation with orthopedic surgeon
- High-quality care during and after surgery
- A rehabilitation therapy plan
- A post-surgery follow-up visit with the orthopedic surgeon
Primary Stroke Center
Primary Stroke CenterOffered in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, this inpatient certification focuses on a hospital’s long-term success in improving outcomes for stroke patients.
Certified Primary Stroke Centers must:
- Designate beds for patients who need immediate stroke care
- Have a neurologist available 24/7, either in-person or by virtual visit
- Provide ongoing education for Emergency Department staff and prehospital personnel (first responders)
- Use evidence-based guidelines and a standardized method of delivering stroke care
Aside from demonstrating competency in the above areas, the program received praise for its high-quality stroke education for staff and patients.
TJC-Certified Programs
Certification from TJC, the nation’s top-certifying body, means a program or service line has successfully met very specific standards of safety and quality. Meeting these standards is important because it helps patients feel confident in the inpatient and outpatient care they receive NKCH has been a TJC-accredited hospital since 1960. These three certifications are the latest examples of its commitment to excellence.