CPH Receives New DNV Accreditation

Contact: Tracy Jarvis
tjarvis@cphospital.org
Corporate Communications - 261-5401 

Canton-Potsdam Hospital RECEIVES NEW QUALITY-BASED ACCREDITATION FROM DNV HEALTHCARE

[Potsdam, NY, May 9, 2011] — Canton-Potsdam Hospital today announces that it has achieved national accreditation from DNV Healthcare, the newest and first Medicare-approved hospital accreditation program that integrates the ISO 9001 quality management system with the Medicare hospital standards and which requires the organization to evaluate the continuum of patient care throughout an entire healthcare system and take measured steps to improve when it is warranted.

"The DNV program is more consistent with our long-term commitment to patient safety and total quality," says Marlinda LaValley, Vice President of Administrative Services. "There has not been a new hospital accreditation organization in over 40 years. The ability to integrate the ISO 9001 quality management system with our clinical and financial processes is a major step forward."

DNV hospital accreditation addresses the demands of quality-driven hospitals that are dedicated to patient-centered care. As part of the accreditation process, DNV surveyors track the care of patients across various departments and facilities of Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

"It's a much more holistic system," says LaValley. "DNV's inspection process is more thorough and collaborative than what we have previously experienced. The DNV program helps us find opportunities throughout the organization to improve every day. This is a welcomed change. We now look upon accreditation as a strategic business tool and as source of empowerment for our staff. The DNV program keeps us moving forward."

Being accredited allows Canton-Potsdam Hospital to receive reimbursement for its patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The DNV accreditation program was authorized by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2008 and is the only program that integrates the ISO quality management system with Medicare's Conditions of Participation, the core requirements for hospitals set forth by the federal government. Canton-Potsdam Hospital will have the entire three-year accreditation period to become compliant with the ISO 9001:2008 standards; a requirement to continue accreditation with DNV.

The mission of Canton-Potsdam Hospital is to provide skilled, compassionate, cost-effective care that promotes wellness and meets community needs. CPH's team of care givers excels in patient-focused service, supported by the latest technology and clean, well-maintained facilities. One of the largest employers in St. Lawrence County, New York, the Hospital is a not-for-profit, comprehensive acute-care institution certified for 94 beds, with a 24/7 emergency department that saw approximately 25,000 visits in 2010. Services to patients include comprehensive cancer care, orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, cardiology, a birthing center, and outpatient primary care centers located in the home towns of Canton, Potsdam, Brasher Falls, and Norfolk. These and other services are supported by reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid, private insurers, and payments from individuals, supplemented by generous support from donors to the Canton-Potsdam Hospital Foundation. The Hospital provided approximately $1,000,000 in financial aid to eligible patients in 2010. More information is available at www.cphospital.org

About DNV Healthcare

DNV Healthcare Inc. is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Det Norske Veritas, a global independent foundation dedicated to safeguarding life, property and the environment. For more information about DNV Healthcare and its NIAHOR hospital accreditation program, visit http://www.dnvaccreditation.com.

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