Matheny Special Hospital Awarded Gold Seal of Approval

Peapack, NJ, APRIL 27, 2017 - Matheny Medical and Educational Center is proud to announce its special hospital recently earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval^® for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards and National Patient Safety Goals. The Gold Seal of Approval^® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

The Matheny Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite survey in January 2017. During the review, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with hospital standards related to several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention, infection control, leadership, and medication management. Surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews. The Joint Commission rendered its final accreditation decision recently.

"We are proud of the accomplishments our medical staff, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, patient care assistants, support staff, and clinical staff have achieved in pursuit of a patient safety culture dedicated to compassionate quality care for all of our patients every day," stated Dr. Kendell R. Sprott, President and CEO of Matheny.

Dr. Vincent Barba, MD, Chief Medical Officer and VP of Patient Care and Safety, said “Matheny is pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation.” Matheny’s inpatient hospital holds 101 beds and specializes in the care of children and adults who are developmentally disabled and live with medically complex and rare diseases. Dr. Barba added, “Staff from across the organization continue to work together to continuously improve the quality and safety of care we deliver and to develop and implement approaches that have the potential to improve system reliability for the patients in our community. Our patients are our first priority.”

The Joint Commission has accredited hospitals for more than 60 years. More than 4,000 general, children’s, long-term acute, psychiatric, rehabilitation, and specialty hospitals currently maintain accreditation from The Joint Commission, awarded for a three-year period. In addition, approximately 360 critical access hospitals maintain accreditation through a separate program.

“Joint Commission accreditation provides hospitals with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas from the enhancement of staff education to the improvement of daily business operations,” said Mark G. Pelletier, RN, MS, Chief Operating Officer, Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations, The Joint Commission. “In addition, our accreditation helps hospitals enhance their risk management and risk reduction strategies. We commend Matheny for its efforts to become a quality improvement organization.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help hospitals measure, assess, and improve performance.

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The Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

Matheny Medical and Educational Center

Matheny's mission is to provide exceptional care and an optimal quality of life for children and adults with special needs and medically complex developmental disabilities. Our vision is to be the recognized model of excellence in the field of developmental disabilities. Matheny was established in 1946 and is a nonprofit residential hospital and outpatient clinic; pre-K-12 school; fine arts center and hosts five community residences serving people with disabilities throughout New Jersey. Matheny is the only facility in New Jersey that provides residential care, therapeutic services, onsite education, outpatient care and facilitated opportunities for creative expression for children and adults with significant developmental disabilities. People with CP, spina bifida, fragile-X syndrome, Lesch-Nyhan disease, and other neurological disorders receive services. Matheny is accredited by the Joint Commission, CARF, and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. To learn more go to: www.matheny.org