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March 23, 2000
HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER AWARDED ACCREDITATION WITH COMMENDATION
FROM JOINT COMMISSION
Hackensack University Medical Center has achieved Accreditation with Commendation, signifying exemplary performance in meeting national standards set by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
Formed in 1951, the Joint Commission is dedicated to improving the quality of the nation's healthcare through voluntary accreditation. The Joint Commission's on-site survey of Hackensack University Medical Center occurred in November.
"The medical center received one of the highest scores in 1999 from JCAHO, placing us in the top five percent of all hospitals surveyed," said John P. Ferguson, president and chief executive officer of Hackensack University Medical Center. "Accreditation with Commendation is the highest level of accreditation awarded by the Joint Commission."
The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits almost 11,000 hospitals and home care agencies, and over 7,000 other healthcare organizations. A 28-member Board of Commissioners, who have diverse experience in healthcare, business and public policy, governs JCAHO.
"The medical center's physicians, nurses, employees, and volunteers take their responsibilities to patients very seriously," said Robert C. Garrett of Convent Station, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Our commitment to a total environment of care is not just empty words at
Hackensack University Medical Center. It is a mission every member of our team takes to heart."
A healthcare organization voluntarily undergoes a survey by a full team of Joint Commission experts every three years.
"This honor is a reflection of the entire Hackensack University Medical Center team's hard work," said Antoinette Fiore, R.N., M.A. of Pompton Lakes, executive vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer. "The highest quality patient care is a vision and reality shared by us all. This recognition from the Joint Commission coupled with our recent redesignation as a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center serves as a great source of pride."
Hackensack University Medical Center, a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School and a member of the University Health System of New Jersey, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state of New Jersey. The medical center has been honored since 1995 as the first hospital
in New Jersey to receive the Magnet Award for nursing excellence from The American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the second hospital in the nation to receive a four-year redesignation of this award. The medical center is also the recipient of the Consumer Choice Award in Bergen and Passaic counties for four consecutive years. Based on a survey of 400,000 people to determine the best hospitals in the country, the medical center was named as the hospital of choice for quality of staff, community programs, personalized care, and overall reputation.
Hackensack University Medical Center
30 Prospect Avenue · Hackensack, New Jersey, 07601 · (201) 996-2000