Vidant Home Health and Hospice awarded home care accreditation from The Joint Commission | Eastern North Carolina Now

    GREENVILLE- Vidant Home Health and Hospice has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval ® for Home Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to providing safe and effective care.

    "Vidant Home Health and Hospice is pleased to receive continued accreditation from The Joint Commission, as well as the Gold Seal of Approval," said Joan Wynn, chief quality officer, Vidant Health, and president, Vidant Home Health and Hospice. "Our staff is passionate about delivering the highest quality of care and helping people remain at home. We believe care at home and in the community is a vital part of the continuum of care and are delighted that our excellence has been recognized."

    Vidant Home Health and Hospice underwent a rigorous on-site survey in March 2015 at its five locations including: Vidant Home Health offices in Greenville, Washington and Windsor and Vidant Hospice locations in Ahoskie and Greenville including the Service League of Greenville Inpatient Hospice. During the survey, compliance with home care standards was evaluated, including the provision of care, treatment and services, emergency management, human resources, individual rights and responsibilities, and leadership.

    Health care organizations that achieve accreditation through The Joint Commission survey are determined to also meet or exceed Medicare and Medicaid requirements. This is recognized by the state of North Carolina as evidence of quality oversight activities.

    "Home Care organizations are not required to be accredited; and requesting a survey is an additional option beyond basic accreditation," said Brenda Roberson, director of accreditation for Vidant Health. "Vidant Health has such a commitment to providing high quality care, in addition to its desire to be compliant with all of the conditions of participation set forth by the federal government, that successfully completing a deemed status survey was simply the next logical step for Vidant Home Health & Hospice."

    "When individuals engage a home care provider they want to be sure that provider is capable of providing safe, quality care," said Margherita Labson, RN, M.S., executive director, Home Care Accreditation program, The Joint Commission. "As the home care setting becomes increasingly popular, it is important that home care providers are able to demonstrate that they are capable of providing safe, high quality care. Accreditation by The Joint Commission and the gold seal serve as an indication that the organization has demonstrated compliance to these recognized standards of safe and quality care."

    More than 6,000 home care programs currently maintain accreditation, awarded for a three-year period, by The Joint Commission.

    Vidant's Home Health and Hospice team serves patients and families in 13 counties in eastern North Carolina. Patients have a choice of what home health or hospice agency cares for them and should base their decision on which agency has the highest quality scores and best reputation for care. The Joint Commission gold seal reflects Vidant's commitment to providing safe and effective care. Anyone can review the publically reported home health quality scores on www.medicare.gov/homehealthcompare. For more information about Vidant Home Health and Hospice, visit www.vidanthealth.com/hospice or www.vidanthealth.com/homehealth or call 252-847-2000.

      NC Department of Health and Human Services

    Vidant Health, a mission-driven, not-for-profit corporation, owns, leases or has a majority membership interest in eight eastern North Carolina hospitals. The health system includes Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, Vidant Medical Center, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, Vidant Home Health and Hospice,Vidant Wellness Centers, Vidant Medical Group and is affiliated with the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. On the web at www.vidanthealth.com.