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COMMISSION HAS QUESTIONS FOR SALISBURY VA
HOSPITAL -- The Joint Commission that gave
the hospital their "Gold Seal of Approval"
now wants some answers.
Background with backlinks here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfAPR07/nf040207-1.htm
Story here...
http://www.citizen-times.com/
apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770408012
Story below:
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Commission has questions for Salisbury VA
hospital
by The Associated Press
Charlotte – The commission that gave a "Gold Seal of Approval" to the VA
hospital in Salisbury has questions following disclosure of suspicious
deaths at the medical center.
The Joint Commission accredits most U.S. hospitals, but gave its
approval to the Salisbury center without knowing about death and
allegations of poor care.
"That has given us a lot of fodder for discussion with the VA," said Joe
Cappiello, the commission vice president who heads inspection
operations. "The public should be able to rely on the accreditation
certificate to have value and meaning."
The commission didn't ask about those potential problems and the VA
didn't disclose them. Instead, the commission learned about the problems
at Salisbury as well as the Asheville VA center, from The Charlotte
Observer.
Commission team have signed off on the Salisbury hospital for several
year and didn't know the hospital's managers had been told about
problems by independent consultants and VA investigators.
Congressional hearing are scheduled April 19 on the Salisbury hospital.
Healthcare advocates say consumers need stronger oversight of hospitals.
"Everyone in the industry knows, you scramble when (the commission) is
coming, make yourself look great and then go back to normal," said Lisa
McGiffert, a Consumers Union patient advocate. "Who's there to make sure
hospitals are safe?"
In the meantime, the commission has asked both hospitals to respond to
points raised in the Observer's stories and Cappiello said the
commission could conduct surprise inspections.
The commission grants accreditation, which in many states fulfills
licensing requirements, to some 15,000 health care groups. Although VA
hospitals have sought the group's approval, although they don't have to
have it, to build credibility.
"Accreditation provides independent, external confirmation that a
hospital is meeting high performance standards," said Adrien Creecy-Starks,
a VA spokeswoman in Washington. "It is an important part of VA's
commitment to quality."
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Larry Scott --
