WVU Medicine-Ruby Memorial Hospital earns accreditation from Joint Commission

The Joint Commission has accredited WVU Medicine-Ruby Memorial Hospital for all services, concluding a process that began in August 2015.

A Joint Commission representative completed a two-day follow-up re-survey March 1 to check on the progress of some issues cited in the August 2015 visit.

The surveyor, who covered the clinical and life safety code portions of the survey, found one new Requirement for Improvement (RFI) and one Opportunity for Improvement (OFI), but the infractions did not affect accreditation, according to  Aaron Kocsis, R.N., regulatory coordinator with WVU Medicine-Ruby Memorial Hospital's Center for Quality Outcomes.

WVU Medicine-Ruby Memorial Hospital must submit a corrective action plan to the Joint Commission within 45 days, but Kocsis said a team had already been working on a solution and a plan should be in place in a few weeks.

A detailed report is available.

Kocsis said everyone on staff had a role in the accreditation process.

“Every job title, everyone contributed,” he said. “I very much want to give credit to a lot of people – the leadership for their involvement in the accreditation process, the specific team leaders who developed corrective action plans for the August findings, and all staff members who made changes to their workflow as a result of the August findings.”

Although the process is effectively over, Kocsis reminded staff to maintain a goal of “continuous compliance” as they perform their duties.

The next Joint Commission visit will take place within a window of 18-36 months from the August 2015 survey, Kocsis said. In 2016, specific services are expected to be surveyed in August (stroke certification) and October (joint replacement). Also, there is a possibility of an extension survey when the new southeast tower opens in early 2017, Kocsis said.