Awarded
Accreditation
from the Joint Commission

San Diego, California, By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commissions national standards for health care quality and safety, Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care has earned The Joint Commissions Gold Seal of Approval.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission is dedicated to continuously improving the safety and quality of the nation’s health care through voluntary accreditation. Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care, which provides hospice services, received the accreditation award after The Joint Commission found that it had demonstrated compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for home care organizations. The on-site survey occurred in January.

“In becoming accredited, Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care was evaluated against a set of national standards by a Joint Commission Kathleen Good, RN, JCAHO, surveyor, experienced in the delivery of home care services,” says Margherita Labson, R.N., executive director, Home Care Accreditation, The Joint Commission. “Achieving accreditation demonstrates Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care’s commitment to provide high quality and safe care to its patients.”

Tracy Harris, CEO says Joint Commission accreditation shows that “we make a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. We seek accreditation for our organization because we want to be the best and we view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward excellence.”

He notes that accreditation is attainable only through the cooperation and communication among staff members. “Everyone here at Avalon Hospice & Palliative Care plays a valuable role in working to meet the standards. I think it gives them a feeling of prestige to work in an accredited organization,” says Tracy Harris. “They also appreciate the educational aspect of the survey and the opportunity to interact with The Joint Commission team.”