The Tribune

The board of directors and executive team at Doctors Hospital announced that the hospital has once again been accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) following a week of intense on-site scrutiny and examination.

The Bahamas’ only private hospital became the first acute care hospital to be awarded the gold seal of approval by JCI in 2010, and has maintained the stringent standards and levels of care required to consistently pass re-examination every three years.

JCI is the international arm of the US-based Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organisations (JCAHO); the same body that certifies more than 21,000 hospitals in the United States. Fewer than 850 hospitals outside of the US have earned the accreditation and Doctors Hospital remains one of only two acute care hospitals in the Caribbean region to be recognised for its consistent adherence to international quality standards.

A team of surveyors spent four days last month interviewing staff, physicians and hospital management on policies and procedures, examining the physical structure and reviewing patient records to ensure that in every instance, Doctors Hospital is providing quality healthcare to each patient at the standard set out by JCI.

“I’m extremely proud of our team here at Doctors Hospital following our successful review and accreditation award,” said CEO Charles Sealy, “without their consistent hard work and adherence to the standards set by JCI every day with every patients we would not be able to join this exclusive grouping of hospitals around the world.”

JCI’s methodology ensures that Doctors Hospital is providing each patient with the very highest level of healthcare possible anywhere in the world.

“It is important for Bahamians to realise that they have access to the very highest levels of healthcare without having to leave the country,” Mr Sealy said. “JCI accreditation also reassures visitors who due to accident or illness end up seeking medical care that the quality they get at Doctors Hospital in the Bahamas is as good as, or better, than what they would have received at home.”

In order to constantly push accredited hospitals to even higher standards of patient care, JCI issues new and upgraded standards that Doctors Hospital is required to embrace and institute. Marsha Sands, vice president of Quality and Patient Safety, oversees the hospital’s adoption of new standards, consistent adherence to those standards and preparation for the triennial review process.

“We do not seek JCI approval because we have to,” she said, “we do it because we see it as another tool to help us provide the highest quality of care that our patients expect and deserve.”