Joint Commission visits the 92nd MDG Published Jan. 13, 2016 By Col. Meg Carey 92nd Medical Group commander FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- In December, the 92nd Medical Group had a visit from the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission is the premier national and international accrediting agency that certifies hospitals and clinics as being safe and meeting important patient care standards. The Joint Commission's mission is ". . .to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations." Accreditation by the Joint Commission signifies the 92nd MDG's sustained commitment to providing safe, high-quality health services to all of our beneficiaries. Although there are no scores, the surveyors stated that the 92nd MDG has an "engaged staff," who are "committed to goals and the organization" and provide "highly, safe quality care." The 92nd MDG also received a certification of their Primary Care Medical Home program validating its goals of access to quality of care, continuity of care, patient-centered care and continuous process improvement. The Joint Commission surveyors assessed all areas within the medical group, talking with medical staff and patients in an effort to evaluate the clinical care provided to our beneficiaries. The Joint Commission's comprehensive evaluation looks at the medical programs and processes with a focus on patient safety, quality of care and continuous process improvement. One method the surveyors used to evaluate the clinic is called tracer methodology. They started with a patient accessing our system at the appointment line and followed their care through the continuum of the visit; from provider visit, lab, radiology, referral management, pharmacy to the documentation of the outcomes of the visit. This view provided them with an opportunity to assess processes, patient handoffs and treatment plans. Previously the 92nd MDG was accredited by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, but with a change in contract, the accreditation process was awarded to The Joint Commission in early fall. In order to sustain the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval of Accreditation and Certification, the 92nd MDG must undergo an on-site survey at least once every three years. In addition to The Joint Commission visit, the MDG's laboratory program was also recently certified by the College of American Pathologists, another highly respected source for external oversight of clinical programs. The 92nd MDG laboratory program is now accredited through 2017. The men and women of the 92nd MDG work hard to provide quality care and strive to continually improve programs, processes and service. The 92nd MDG would like to thank the 11,000 enrolled and the 27,000 other supported beneficiaries for making the 92nd MDG their choice for care. To view a copy of our Quality Report, please visit: http://www.qualitycheck.org/qualityreport.aspx?hcoid=576218.