(Sharon, PA – February 9, 2017) – Sharon Region Medical Center today announced it has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

Sharon Regional underwent a rigorous, unannounced 4-day onsite full survey in mid-November of 2016. During the review, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with hospital standards related to several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, and medication management. Surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews. In addition to Sharon Regional Medical Center, the accreditation includes the following services and locations:

Wound Recovery & Hyperbaric Medicine Center, Cancer Care Center, Pain Management Center, Corporate Health Services, Diabetes Center, Diagnostic & Imaging Center, Outpatient Behavioral Health Services, Rehab Center, and Sharon Regional Sports Medicine Center located in Hermitage, Mercer Family Medicine Center in Mercer, the Sleep Medicine Center in Sharon, and the Hubbard Diagnostic and Specialty Center in Hubbard, Ohio.

The Joint Commission has accredited hospitals for more than 60 years. More than 4,000 general, children’s, long-term acute, psychiatric, rehabilitation and specialty hospitals currently maintain accreditation from The Joint Commission, awarded for a three-year period. In addition, approximately 360 critical access hospitals maintain accreditation through a separate program.

“Joint Commission accreditation provides hospitals with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas from the enhancement of staff education to the improvement of daily business operations,” said Mark G. Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer, Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations, The Joint Commission. “In addition, our accreditation helps hospitals enhance their risk management and risk reduction strategies. We commend Sharon Regional for its efforts to become a quality improvement organization.”

“Sharon Regional is extremely pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” added Jason Roeback, MHA, Sharon Regional’s chief executive officer. “Our entire organization is committed to continuously developing and implementing quality processes and safety initiatives that improve care for the patients in our community.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help hospitals measure, assess and improve performance.

About Sharon Regional Medical Center
Sharon Regional Medical Center has provided health care services to the region for more than 120 years. Mercer County’s largest hospital and healthcare system consists of a 220-bed Joint Commission accredited hospital, along with 19 satellite centers in Sharon, Hermitage, and Mercer in PA and Hubbard and Brookfield in OH. Sharon Regional offers specialized services including; Behavioral Health, Breast Care, Cancer Care, Diabetes, Emergency Care with specialized stroke and heart attack care, certified chest pain center, primary stroke center, open heart/angioplasty/ heart care institute, Sleep Medicine, Sports Medicine, Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, School of Radiography, Women’s Center and Wound Recovery & Hyperbaric Medicine.

The Joint Commission

Founded in 1951, THE JOINT COMMISSION seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at WWW.JOINTCOMMISSION.ORG.