Baptist Hospital Receives Highest Level of Accreditation

October 30, 2002

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – North Carolina Baptist Hospital (NCBH) has received continued accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). The hospital received a score of 97, a level achieved by only 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.

“This achievement demonstrates the high quality of care provided by our hospital,” said Len B. Preslar Jr., hospital president and CEO. “I am proud of our dedicated employees who made this possible.”

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that works to improve the safety and quality of health care by providing accreditation and other services. It evaluates and accredits almost 5,000 hospitals nationwide.

NCBH underwent a week-long evaluation by a team of surveyors in September. The survey, which includes reviews of patient charts, interviews with staff members and inspections of the facility, is conducted every three years.

Because JCAHO’s standards are regarded as the most rigorous in the industry, its “gold seal” of approval is a sign that accredited organizations have demonstrated compliance to the most stringent standards of performance.

NCBH received “accreditation with full standards compliance,” the highest level awarded by JCAHO.

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Media Contact: Karen Richardson, (336) 716-4453, krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu; or Barbara Hahn, (336) 716-6877, bhahn@wfubmc.edu

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