CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – HealthSouth Chattanooga Rehabilitation Hospital has become the only hospital in this area to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. The prestigious certification recognizes HealthSouth Chattanooga’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards for stroke rehabilitation.

To earn the certification, HealthSouth Chattanooga underwent a rigorous on-site survey on March 4, 2011. A Joint Commission surveyor with expertise in the care of patients with neurological issues evaluated the hospital’s Stroke Rehabilitation Program for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including the provision and quality of care, medical staff , leadership and medication management.

"In achieving Joint Commission certification, HealthSouth Chattanooga Rehabilitation Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients suffering from stroke" says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q. executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and I commend them for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

“We voluntarily pursued the Joint Commission to evaluate our stroke rehabilitation program because we wanted to ensure our quality of care,” said Dr. Amjad Munir, medical director of HealthSouth Chattanooga. “Achieving this certification shows patients and referring physicians that we are the best when it comes to providing rehabilitative services for stroke patients.”

The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification Program, launched in 2002, is designed to evaluate clinical programs across the continuum of care. Certification requirements address three core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards; effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission also provides certification of more than 1,700 disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.