The Long Beach Memorial Diabetes Program has been re-accredited for the Advanced Disease Specific Certification for Diabetes by The Joint Commission. The Joint Commission recognized Long Beach Memorial’s dedication to continuous performance improvement and its passion for achieving consistent quality care.
To become re-certified, the diabetes care team was evaluated during an on-site review, conducted by a Joint Commission field reviewer. The reviewer assesses how clinical outcomes and other performance measures are used to identify opportunities to improve care, whether the organization’s leaders are committed to improvements and how patients are educated with respect to self-management and guidelines that are pertinent to them.
“The Joint Commission surveyor had the opportunity to visit with a variety of disciplines on nearly every unit throughout the day,” says Linda Kerr, RN, MSN, FNP-BC, CDE, director, Diabetes Program, Long Beach Memorial. “The surveyor was impressed with the engagement of our staff at all levels and their vital role in delivering outstanding, evidence-based care to our patients every day.”
In order to receive a Joint Commission certification, the diabetes care team focuses on three main areas of care, including creating high-quality clinical programs, fostering teamwork and improving quality of patient care.
The Joint Commission’s Inpatient Diabetes Certification Program is based on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical practice recommendations. Along with the ADA, The Joint Commission has identified that the most successful inpatient diabetes programs possess the following critical attributes:
- Specific staff education requirements
- Written blood glucose monitoring protocols
- Plans for the treatment of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia
- Data collection of incidences of hypoglycemia
- Patient education on self-management of diabetes
- An identified program champion or program champion team
Achievement of certification signifies that Long Beach Memorial is committed to providing the critical elements essential to achieve long-term success in improving outcomes for its patients.
The diabetes care team continues to be successful by developing ways to improve communication and education about diabetes and providing diabetes-related resources, clinical interventions and education.
The Diabetes Program at Long Beach Memorial first received The Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification of Distinction for Inpatient Diabetes Care in 2012. This prestigious honor recognizes hospitals that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes across all inpatient settings.