State of the Heart Hospice Receives National Accreditation

State of the Heart Hospice was recently re-accredited by The Joint Commission Accreditation On Homecare. With offices in Greenville, Coldwater and Portland, the non-profit agency cares for patients and families who are confronting a life-limiting illness. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit national body that oversees the safety and quality of health care and other services provided in accredited organizations.

“This accreditation follows an intensive four day review of our agency,” explained Elaine Seger, Director of Clinical Services for State of the Heart. “The Joint Commission accreditation reflects the fact that State of the Heart meets and adheres to the highest standards in providing hospice care.” Since 1999, State of the Heart has been accredited by the national body. A survey is conducted every three years.

The Joint Commission works to ensure that its standards, requirements and measures are always clear, relevant and focused on improving health care quality and safety, according to a Joint Commission spokesman. The Joint Commission seeks out rigorous evidence to guide judgments about where a particular bar should be set to improve patient outcomes.

Seger said that the Joint Commission surveyor looked at all areas of service provided by State of the Heart, focusing foremost on patient care and the outcome of that care, “looking closely at quality control.”

The accreditation, she added, reflects that State of the Heart maintains high level standards “assuring the very best in patient care.” State of the Heart Hospice has provided hospice care to area communities in eastern Indiana and western Ohio for more than 30 years. More than 11,000 patients and their families have received hospice care and bereavement support.

“All of us at State of the Heart are proud of this re-certification,” Seger said. “What this says to the community we serve is that our staff and program are meeting the very highest standards in hospice care.”

For more information about the services provided by State of the Heart Hospice, visit the agency web site at www.stateoftheheartcare.org.