South Georgia Medical Center received a “no recommendations for improvement” result after a recent two day survey by The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission Gold Seal is a symbol of quality and safety that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to the needs of higher patient safety standards in the industry.

“Given The Joint Commission’s past reviews of our performance, the work required to meet the standards and what has been accomplished by our physicians, employees, and Board of Directors in a relatively short period of time is nothing less than impressive,” said Ronnie Dean, SGMC Chief Executive Officer.

According to Dean, these results reflect what he’s witnessed since his arrival. He says SGMC has some of the finest people in the industry, best trained physicians, and a Board of Directors determined to meet and exceed the expectations of the community and region.

 “I am very proud of our team’s response to this challenge and I look forward to SGMC reaching even greater heights of success,” he continued.

The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement specialists and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help healthcare organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

SGMC received the highest marks for the following areas of review:

Providing a safe environment for patients

Educating patients about the risks and options for diagnosis and treatment

Protecting patient rights, including privacy rights

Evaluating the condition of each patient, before, during and after diagnosis and treatment

Protecting patients against infection

Planning for emergency situations