Contributed photo The Scotland Health Care System Core Survey Readiness Team: front, left to right, Wanda Avetta, Pat Gentry, Pam Ashley, Lisa Byrd, and Lori Dove. Back, left to right, Lane Harrington, Jen Kane, David Bales, Angela Locklear, Wanda Locklear, and Greg Wood. Not pictured: Camille Utter, Tracey Page, Sandi Westall, Sissy Pittman, Lois Snead, Dawn Reynolds, and Ann Locklear.

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Scotland Health Care System was re-accredited after survey found that it free of concerns or incidences related to patient care.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recently completed a three-day survey at Scotland Health Care System. At the conclusion of the survey, health care officials received the news that they had passed with no concerns and not a single incidence related to patient care, according to system spokesperson Karen Gainey.

“We found this year’s three surveyors more interested in working with us to make things better instead of pointing fingers,” said Chief of Staff-Elect Donna Richardson, hospitalist pathologist, who is intimately involved with the Joint Commission survey process. “They gave us many suggestions on how to provide even better care in the future.”

Craig Ellis, chairman of the Scotland Health Care System board of trustees, said he was not surprised by the survey results.

“We are very proud of our survey outcome as it validates what we already know - our staff and physicians provide outstanding care and service in a very safe hospital system,” said Ellis, a retired Superior Court judge.

The Joint Commission, which is located in Chicago, Ill., evaluates and verifies more than 1,000 elements of performance during a survey.

Lori Dove, the Scotland system’s vice president of quality and resource management, because the Joint Commission survey can occur at any time, not just every three years, the Survey Readiness Team are always prepared for a visit

“We are continuously prepared for such an event with our action teams evaluating processes, procedures, and standards and performing tracers, she said. “The Just Culture team holds weekly meetings to review any processes which may have deviated from what we consider appropriate.”

She added that surveyors trace everything that can touch or affect the patient and his or her care

“They followed patients throughout their care, even dressing to enter the operating room to talk with patients prior to surgery,” Dove said.

Ellis commended the staff for the re-accreditation.

“We are very appreciative of the hard work of our staff, board members, and physicians to prepare for this survey,” he said “We always strive to deliver an exceptional level of care, but preparing for the actual survey takes an enormous amount of extra effort.”