The Department of Medicine is very pleased to announce that the Stony Brook Medicine and Southampton Hospital Palliative Care Programs have earned Joint Commission Recertification/Gold Seal of Approval® for Quality Palliative Care.
“An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. To earn and maintain The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval®, an organization undergoes an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years.” - joincommission.org
This was the first year that both programs were surveyed together for the Joint Commission certification. Both locations endured a rigorous two-day evaluation at both sites by a visiting examiner, who identified and praised the compassionate and outstanding quality care provided by both Palliative Care Programs.
Grace LaTorre, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine and Interim Director, Palliative Medicine Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, was quick to give credit where credit was due:
“The Palliative Care Programs could have not achieved this honor without the unique and exceptional interdisciplinary collaboration with other departments, services and individuals, including all nurses, nursing leadership, personal care attendants, respiratory therapists, the Acute Pain Service, Rapid Response Team, oncology colleagues, hospitalists, medical residents and fellows, intensivists, psychiatry colleagues, LVAD program, pediatrics colleagues, Care Management department, Quality Measure & Analytics team, and others, who everyday place endless effort to provide excellent care to our very vulnerable palliative patient population”.
“The examiner was especially impressed by how well-versed and invested the nursing staff was in the care of their palliative care patients”.
“We are extremely proud of our Palliative Care Programs and feel humbled and fortunate to work with so many remarkable professionals throughout the entire Stony Brook system who consistently deliver the best care to all patients with the goal of improving their quality of life no matter how long or short this may be.”
Congratulations to Dr. LaTorre and her colleagues in their tireless efforts in achieving the Joint Commission’s Recertification/Gold Seal of Approval® for Quality Palliative Care, which is a huge team success and accomplishment.
