CHRISTUS St. Joseph Villa receives accreditation

SALT LAKE CITY — CHRISTUS Saint Joseph Villa is now one of only three skilled nursing facilities in Utah that have achieved accreditation from the national Joint Commission on Accreditation of Heathcare Organizations (JCAHO).

"This prestigious accreditation provides a visible demonstration to consumers and the community that we are truly committed to providing the highest quality health care services," said Galen Ewer, administrator of CHRISTUS St. Joseph Villa. Ewer credits Villa Assistant Administrator Drew Peterson for his leadership during the more than 18 months of preparation for the Joint Commission accreditation survey, an extensive consultation process conducted by JCAHO officials, all of whom are health care professionals trained to provide expert advice and education during the survey.

"This is the first time we have sought JCAHO accreditation," Ewer said. "Each year the Villa is licensed by the State of Utah and we are certified by Medicare and Medicaid. JCAHO accreditation sets a higher standard."

"It raises the bar significantly," said Peterson in a July 27 interview with the Intermountain Catholic. "All of the systems, and in fact, our total operation has been examined, and we have participated fully in a process of re-utilization that includes an interlocking tracing of patient and resident care from department to department. How our services mesh together to meet the needs of patients and residents has been thoroughly examined, and we have learned a great deal from the experience."

While preparing for the May survey process, it was Peterson’s responsibility to try to foresee problems or difficulties.

"We had a previous inspector come in to help us point out where our deficits were, and a month later, CHRISTUS sent their own inspectors in to do a pre-survey evaluation. When the JCAHO surveyors came, they proved to be a good team with a positive attitude of consultation and support. We deeply appreciate the assistance they have given us."

Ewer said the decision to seek JCAHO accreditation was a voluntary one made by the Villa board of directors and fully supported by CHRISTUS Health, their parent company.

"Increasingly, accreditation is becoming a prerequisite for eligibility for insurance reimbursement, for participation in managed care, and bidding on contracts. Achieving accreditation gives CHRISTUS St. Joseph Villa a competitive advantage as comparisons are made with other health care organizations."

The Joint Commission expects facilities accredited by them to undergo continual self-examination, which encourages facilities to take a long-term look at their services and their methods of providing care, Ewer said.

"It significantly contributes to ensuring that our residents are consistently receiving quality care in a safe environment," Peterson said. "It assists us in developing and maintaining systems to make sure our residents are receiving the best care possible, and it validates our services to the community."

Rather than being a punitive survey, the JCAHO is more a supportive and consultative process, he added.

Of the 16,141 skilled nursing facilities in the country, only eight percent of those, 1,421, are JCAHO accredited.

During the 18-month gear-up to the first survey, Peterson said. "We ended up developing manuals and systems from which we will benefit for years. The entire facility was united in the effort, and it was a very positive one."

Now that the Villa has achieved accreditation, the Joint Commission can re-survey the facility any time, unannounced, in from two to four years.

"This prompts us to maintain a continuous assessment, not only of who we are, but of who we’re working with, have contractual agreements with, and work with on a consultative basis," Ewer said. "It will encourage us to maintain a high quality of performance and enlarge the circle of people who help us care for our residents."

Peterson added that Joint Commission accreditation also calls for the continuous fine-tuning of the overall plant systems, and promote full understanding of the policies and procedures by everyone involved.

"This process has had a positive impact on our safety programs and our individual patient and resident care," Ewer said.

The survey process spurs in-depth thinking, Peterson said. "I have already seen where it has enhanced the involvement of family members, and they appreciate it."

Both Ewer and Peterson are constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of care and safety provided at the Villa.

"It has always been our goal, when we are compared with other skilled nursing facilities in the area, that we place at least in the top ten," Ewer said.

"Now our associates know that they’re among the best, and they know they made that happen. It’s a source of great pride for us and for them," Peterson said.