The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg & Calhoun Counties has achieved the Gold Seal of Approval for health care quality with its hospital accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

TRMC posted an overall score of 96 out of 100.

Additionally, HomeCare of TRMC was surveyed independently and was also awarded a score of 96.

Only 16 percent of the medical centers surveyed by the Joint Commission receive a score of 96 or better. Only 45 percent of home care organizations received a score of 96 or better based on the most recent data available.

Joint Commission accreditation means TRMC has demonstrated compliance with national standards for patient safety and quality care. The award of accreditation is for a three-year period.

"We seek accreditation for our organization because we want to demonstrate our commitment to patient safety and quality care," said Tom Dandridge, TRMC president and CEO. "We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence."

Receiving accreditation is not the sole goal of the process.

"Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in performance and the outcomes of care," said Kurt Patton, executive director of the commission's hospital accreditation program. "The community should be proud that The Regional Medical Center is focusing on the most challenging goal -- to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels."

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services which support performance improvement in health care organizations.

The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 17,000 health care organizations and programs nationwide, including 9,000 hospitals and home care organizations.

An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting, accrediting body in the health care field.

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