JCAHO Survey Recognizes VNA’s Quality and Care

The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) proudly announces the results of a very successful JCAHO survey conducted in June 2006. After four days of in-depth evaluation tracing the quality of care within the programs and services provided by VNA, including its branches in Lancaster, Reading, and Brandywine, JCAHO has awarded the VNA a three-year accreditation status with no areas of concern for the tracer activities and full compliance with all standards.

Karen Wiestner, Dawn Murr-Davidson, Susan Teter, Judy Witmer, Carmen Sliko, Kathy Moser, Sue Bailey, Beth Schwartz, Kim Hammer, Barb Zimmerman, Jen Bitterman, Lori Stahl, Stephanie Keck, Linda Love, Sue Boyer, Stacy Geesaman, Terri Piotrowski, Ginny Stevens, Sonya Burkholder, Kathryn Walker, Jackie White, Jean Schrader, Angela Lewis, Melissa Williams, Sheila Baublitz and Kelly Hart are to be commended for their thorough demonstration of their specific areas of expertise that has resulted in one of VNA’s most successful JCAHO reviews. The surveyor commented on the superior quality of patient care, specifically as it relates to National Patient Safety Goals, such as accuracy of patient identification, effectiveness of caregiver communication, the safe handling of high-alert medications, and the reduction of healthcare-acquired infections. In fact, two initiatives established by our VNA Community Care Services are being submitted as JCAHO Good Practices within the Home health care field: the INRatio Prothrombin Time Meter Program and the Disney Customer Service Model to Improve Patient Satisfaction.

We thank our community for the continued support of the Visiting Nurse Association.