Gaylord Receives JCAHO Accreditation

WALLINGFORD, CT (February 1, 2007)-- By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission‘s national standards for health care quality and safety, Gaylord Hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™.

“We sought accreditation for our organization because we want to demonstrate our commitment to our patients’ safety and quality care,” says James Cullen, president and chief executive officer at Gaylord Hospital. “We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence.”

“Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in an organization’s performance and the outcomes of care,” says Darlene Christiansen, executive director, Hospital Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. “The community should be proud that Gaylord Hospital is focusing on the most challenging goal—to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels.” The accreditation award recognizes Gaylord Hospital’s dedication to complying with the Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards on a continuous basis.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 8,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,800 other health care organizations that provide long term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also accredits health plans, integrated delivery networks, and other managed care entities. In addition, The Joint Commission provides certification of disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

Gaylord Hospital is a 109-bed long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) that specializes in medically complex care and treatment, rehabilitation and sleep medicine. Based in Wallingford, CT, Gaylord Hospital offers outpatient services in Guilford, North Haven, Wallingford and Woodbridge. Sleep Medicine services are offered at locations in Guilford, North Haven, Trumbull, Wallingford and West Hartford.