Wednesday, June 4, 2014
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Roper Hospital’s Palliative Care Program Earns Recertification
CHARLESTON, SC (June 4, 2014) – Roper Hospital’s palliative care program again has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for its palliative care program by demonstrating compliance with national standards for healthcare quality and safety in palliative care.
The Joint Commission’s advanced certification program for palliative care recognizes programs that demonstrate exceptional patient and family-centered care and optimize the quality of life for patients with serious illness.
“This recognition is a result of our commitment to interdisciplinary team work,” said Dr. Scott Lake, director of palliative care and post-acute care for Roper St. Francis. “Palliative care is both medicine’s future and its past. We are caring for the whole person and that person’s family. The palliative care teamwork is a model for other areas of medicine seeking to improve quality and improve patient experience of healthcare.”
Palliative care is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains who work with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment.
Roper St. Francis was the first hospital system in the Southeast to be certified in palliative care two years ago. To be eligible for certification, hospitals must have a full-time palliative care service that patients can 24 hours per day and the ability to provide palliative care to the entire inpatient population.
Roper Hospital recently underwent a rigorous on-site review and was evaluated for compliance with The Joint Commission’s palliative care-specific standards, clinical practice guidelines and performance measures.
“(The surveyor) was most complimentary of the palliative care team, their passion and their work in the last two years to make this a stellar program,” Martin said. “In addition, she was very complimentary to hear about the ambulatory and community work being accomplished.”
The Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital palliative care program will be reviewed for recertification in coming weeks.
About Roper St. Francis
Roper St. Francis is the Lowcountry’s only private, not-for-profit healthcare provider. The 657-bed system comprises more than 90 facilities and services in seven counties. Learn more at www.rsfh.com.
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