Seven Israeli hospitals have proven their commitment to high standards of patient safety and quality of care through accreditation by the Joint Commission International.
What is Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation?
According to the JCI website, accreditation improves and demonstrates a medical center’s commitment to patients, families, and employees.
The accreditation process is designed to create a culture of safety and quality within an organization that strives to continually improve patient care processes and results. In doing so, organizations:
- improve public trust that the organization is concerned for patient safety and quality of care
- provide a safe and efficient work environment that contributes to worker satisfaction
- negotiate with sources of payment for care with data on the quality of care
- listen to patients and their families, respect their rights, and involve them in the care process as partners
- create a culture that is open to learning from the timely reporting of adverse events and safety concerns
- establish collaborative leadership that sets priorities for and continuous leadership for quality and patient safety levels
The Marker recently covered this story and reported on the significance of JCI accreditation.
In the United States, insurance companies consider JCI accreditation a precondition for sending its clients to hospitals….
Ilya Kagan, head of Rabin’s Nursing Management Office, said the quality assurance process focused on improving communication and organization among team members.
“During the accreditation process there was a big emphasis on the work flow, organized practices and control – how to speak the same language, not cut corners and not speed through things. It’s not simple, because these are industrial concepts that are foreign to the world of medicine,” he said.
The process was a long one, forcing team members to rethink how they carry out their jobs.
“We received a book with 1,200 issues to address – from strict fire safety procedures to calling universities and confirming that everyone actually finished his or her degree,” said the nursing office’s administrative head.
The New York Times has also recommended seeking Joint Commission International accreditation when using medical facilities outside of the United States.
JCI accredited and soon-to-be accredited hospitals in Israel
The following hospitals and medical centers have completed the JCI accreditation process:
Haifa: Carmel Medical Center- Afula: HaEmek Medical Center
- Kfar Saba: Meir Medical Center
- Petach Tikva: Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson Hospital and HaSharon Hospital)
- Tel Aviv: Assuta Medical Center
- Rechovot: Kaplan Medical Center
- Beersheva: Soroka Medical Center
The following hospitals and medical centers are reportedly “wrapping up” the JCI accreditation process:
- Haifa: Rambam Medical Center
- Tiberias: Poriya Hospital
- Tel Aviv: Ichilov Hospital
- Ramat Gan: Sheba Medical Center
- Tzrifin: Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center
Of course, the lack of JCI accreditation doesn’t mean the hospital doesn’t put its utmost into patient safety and quality of care. However, it’s always helpful to have an outside organization verifying!
I am shocked to see Soroka on the list.
I stayed there twice a year-and-a-half ago with pneumonia. The admitting nurse said (hours before the test results were ready) that I had H1N1. I told her I was positive it was pneumonia. I had to stay on the H1N1 floor overnight.
I was so weak I could not change my clothes into a gown. The nurse yelled at me for not doing it quickly enough. They refused to bring me a toothbrush or mouthwash.
After the results were in, I was told to walk down the stairs to a different department. Had to suffer through smokers’ second-hand smoke on the stairs and in the lobby adjacent to the entrance to my department. Mind you this is an indoor area.
After one night, I was moved into the hallway, because a “highly infectious” patient needed the room alone. Ten minutes later, I saw him wandering up and down the halls! I told a doctor who said she’d look into it.
It was difficult to rest in the hallway. I was near the door. Smoke kept wafting in. Impatient smokers on their way out lit up while still in the ward. Everyone seemed to bang into my bed. There were many others in my situation.
They forgot to give me my antibiotic one day. I reminded them at 4PM. Everyone passed the blame around.
I was sent him on Friday. Had to come back the following Friday because the fever returned and the pneumonia was not gone.
The new doctor took me aside to question me privately about the possibility of HIV. I told him it was impossible. Alone on Shabbat, I wanted to speak to a social worker because I was frightened. despite my request, no one came to talk to me.
My roomates were Yaakov and Yoseph and, although I didn’t share my thoughts with them, these men proved more than worthy of their names. Yaakov went with me to daven in shul and Yoseph shared his lox sandwich with me. It was so tasty after eating the tasteless hospital food. I had been helping him communicate with the nurses about his diabetes because he knew no Hebrew.
I was better and ready to go on Sunday. Had to wait around or for several hours but got dressed because I couldn’t wait to go. Got yelled at by a nurse for placing my shoes on the bed (“You do that at home?” “No, but at home people actually take care of me if I’m sick!”)
In all fairness, there were several nurses working there who were dedicated and selfless people. Unfortunately, they were the exception.
Soroka is JCI accredited? Either they made mounds of changes in the past year or the designation is not as valuable as we are assuming.
Of course, this was just my experience. Perhaps others have fared better.
Yehuda, I am very sorry to hear about your experience, and thank you for sharing it. According to the JCI website, Soroka has been
accredited since 26 September 2008.
I know it has been some time, but if you are willing and since accreditation should mean something, you can submit a complaint against Soroka as a JCI accredited institution here: JCI – Report a complaint about a health care organization.
Also, Soroka itself accepts complaints here: Soroka complaints. In addition, it seems the Ministry of Health’s Quality Assurance Division also accepts complaints.