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Highland Hospital’s Palliative Care Program has received Advanced Recertification from the Joint Commission

Monday, July 16, 2018

Highland Hospital’s Palliative Care Program has received Advanced Recertification from the Joint Commission, the nation’s main accrediting body in health care. This is the third recertification for the program. Highland first received Joint Commission Advanced Certification for palliative care in 2012 and recertification in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Palliative care focuses on alleviating suffering and providing symptom-relieving care and support during all stages of illness, including end of life. “This program is one of the reasons Highland is such an incredible place to come for quality, patient-centered care,” said Daniel Mendelson, M.S., M.D., founder of the Palliative Care Consult Service. “Our Palliative Care Program assures that patients and their families have the resources of a large hospital in the setting of a comfortable community hospital during the toughest time in their lives.” The recertification is a result of a rigorous site visit from a Joint Commission surveyor. The decision is based on standards of care, clinical practice guidelines, and performance measurement activities. Palliative care programs that successfully demonstrate compliance are awarded a two-year certification.

Highland’s core palliative care team consists of five physicians, a nurse practitioner, and a physician assistant. The extended team includes pastoral services, social work, nursing, and hospice. The program completes more than 500 palliative care inpatient consults a year.

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Wendy Boyce

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