Naval Health Clinic Charleston Aces Inspection

Release, Navy Health Clinic Charleston:

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON — From Aug. 7 through 9, Naval Health Clinic
Charleston successfully underwent inspections by the Navy Medical Inspector
General (IG) and the Joint Commission to ensure that the clinic is providing
quality health care to all beneficiaries.

The Joint Commission surveys health care facilities throughout the nation to
ensure that safety and quality of care standards are being met while
supporting performance improvement with targeted recommendations. NHC
Charleston is assessed every three years and this on-site survey is an
important part of the reaccreditation process.

"The survey team told us repeatedly how impressed they were with the
competence and professionalism of our staff," said Capt. Mary Kim
Kenney-Gutshall, the clinic's Commanding Officer. "The Joint Commission
survey is an external evaluation of the quality and safety of care we
provide, and thus a positive evaluation is an independent indication of the
great work that we do every day. We not only met the standards of their
inspection, we set benchmarks for the rest of the health care community to
follow.  We had no major findings which is remarkable. This was an
overwhelming success."

As part of their survey, the Joint Commission spoke with staff ranging from
administrators to medical providers, evaluating processes ranging from
patient safety goals to complex sterilization procedures.

The staff of NHC Charleston also successfully passed their IG inspection.
The role of the IG is to review all aspects of the Command, including the
delivery of health care from the beneficiary perspective, paying close
attention to access to care, patient satisfaction and TRICARE matters.
While at the clinic, over 70 different programs were inspected including
education and training, safety metrics, health information management,
patient privacy and contracting.

According to Capt. Celia Horton, the Navy's Medical Inspector General, "NHC
Charleston is the jewel of Navy Medicine. This is why people want to work
here."

Completing these inspections was a team effort, according to Capt. Richard
Joralmon, the clinic's Executive Officer. "I am proud of our staff for all
the hard work and dedication that they show every day, not just during
inspections," said Capt. Joralmon. "The hard work, dedication and delivery
of high quality health care that the Joint Commission and IG teams saw were
a snapshot of what we do here at NHC Charleston day in and day out. This
solidifies what we already knew — NHC Charleston provides the very best in
patient and family centered care."