Cartersville Medical Center has been named one of the nation's top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America.

Media release:  Cartersville Medical Center has been named one of the nation's top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America.  Cartersville Medical Center was recognized by The Joint Commission based on data reported about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care.

                Cartersville Medical Center is one of only 405 U.S. hospitals and critical access hospitals earning the distinction of top performer on key quality measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance.  Inclusion on the list is based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the previous calendar year.  For example the first recognition program is based on data that were reported for 2010.

                To be recognized as a top performer on key quality measures an organization must meet two 95 percent performance thresholds.  First they must achieve a composite performance of 95 percent or above after the results of all the accountability measures for which they report data to The Joint Commission were factored into a single score, including measures that had less than 30 eligible cases or patients.  Second, they must meet or exceed a 95 percent performance target for every single accountability measure for which they report data, excluding any measures with less than 30 eligible cases or patients.

                Cartersville Medical Center was recognized for achieving these thresholds for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care.

                "Today, the public expects transparency in the reporting of performance at the hospitals where they receive care, and The Joint Commission is shining a light on the top performing hospitals such as Cartersville Medical Center that have achieved excellence on a number of vital measures of quality of care," says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president, The Joint Commission.

                "We understand what matters most to patients at Cartersville Medical center — safe, effective care.  That's why Cartersville Medical Center has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes.  Cartersville Medical Center is proud to be named to the list of The Joint Commission's Top Performers on Key Quality Measures," says Keith Sandlin, chief executive officer, Cartersville Medical Center.

                In addition to being included in the release of The Joint Commission's "Improving America's Hospitals" annual report: (http://www.jointcommission.org/improving_america%E2%80%99s_hospitals_-_the_joint_commission%E2%80%99s_annual_report_on_quality_and_safety_2011/), Cartersville Medical Center will be recognized on The Joint Commission's Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org).