Awards Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center its Gold Seal of Approval

(West Islip, N.Y.) The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for health care facilities across the nation, has awarded Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center its Gold Seal of Approval. Hospitals undergo a survey every three years, which can occur at any time and without prior notice.  The Joint Commission team spent five days evaluating every aspect of care and safety at Good Samaritan. 

“It is satisfying to know that we were in compliance with all standards, which have become increasingly more stringent,” remarked James Caldas, interim president and chief executive officer of Good Samaritan.  “However, the surveyors’ comments also reflected on the culture of Good Samaritan, which focuses on exceeding expectations in every area of patient care.”
Some of Good Samaritan’s Best Practices that merited special attention were the Emergency Department’s Mid-Track program, the successful efforts in the area of noise reduction and the Medication Safety Zone protocol.  The Mid-Track program addresses those patients who are neither severely injured nor experiencing minor injuries, focusing on cases that fall in between those two situations.  This ongoing initiative has resulted in improved patient satisfaction in emergency department visits, with a decrease in wait time.  Another Good Samaritan program recognized by the Joint Commission focuses on noise, including the implementation of “nighttime bundles”—procedures that enable patients to get optimal rest.  In a new patient safety protocol, called the “Medication Safety Zone”, a nurse wears a yellow sash to alert those in the vicinity that medication is being administered.  This is designed to reduce interruptions and distractions. 

For information on Good Samaritan Hospital’s Best Practices, please call (631) 376-4444 or visit  www.good-samaritan-hospital.org.

Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is a 537-bed (including 100 nursing home beds), voluntary, not-for-profit hospital located in West Islip.  The medical center, which has more than 4,500 employees and almost 900 physicians on staff, had more than 30,000 patient admissions and more than 95,000 emergency room visits in 2009.  Good Samaritan is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. Visit the website at www.good-samaritan-hospital.org.

Good Samaritan provides more than $54 million in community service and charity care each year.  The medical center supplies residents with the tools necessary to maintain good health.  This includes community lectures, screenings, health fairs and other community programs and services.