Nantucket Cottage Hospital (NCH) announced today that it has been accredited by The Joint Commission, the non-profit organization that accredits and certifies health care organizations in the United States, by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards.

NCH earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital Accreditation, a symbol of quality that reflects the hospital’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

The Joint Commission conducted a rigorous unannounced on-site survey of Nantucket Cottage Hospital in late August 2014, when a team of surveyors evaluated compliance with hospital standards for emergency management, environment of care, infection control, medication management, and other areas. Surveyors also conducted on-site observations and interviews with NCH staff members.

“To be accredited by The Joint Commission is a significant accomplishment and demonstrates a commitment to excellence across all our departments,” said NCH President and CEO Dr. Margot Hartmann. “We earned The Joint Commission certification in spite of the aging condition of our 1957 building, making this achievement even more remarkable. The island community can be proud of its medical professionals who made this happen, and can truly have confidence in coming to NCH for their care.”

The hospital’s efforts to meet and exceed the standards set by The Joint Commission included all departments and required extensive training, education, and preparation by NCH staff members. These efforts were spearheaded by Jan Ellsworth, RN, CPHQ, the hospital’s Director of Quality Services.

“I’m extremely proud of our team and the individuals throughout the hospital who put so much time and effort into making NCH a safe and effective facility for patient care,” Ellsworth said.

The Joint Commission has accredited hospitals for more than 60 years. More than 4,000 general, children’s, long-term acute, psychiatric, rehabilitation and specialty hospitals currently maintain accreditation from The Joint Commission, awarded for a three-year period.

“Joint Commission accreditation provides hospitals with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas from the enhancement of staff education to the improvement of daily business operations,” said Mark G. Pelletier, RN, M.S., chief operating officer with The Joint Commission’s Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations. “In addition, our accreditation helps hospitals enhance their risk management and risk reduction strategies. We commend Nantucket Cottage Hospital for its efforts to become a quality improvement organization.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital 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 hospitals measure, assess and improve performance.