Hospital Working to Address Preliminary Denial of Accreditation (UPDATE)

HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham is hoping steps have been taken to restore the hospital's accreditation.

Various agencies visit the hospital throughout the year and survey the hospital as well as its various services to make sure they remain accredited. During a visit in May, The Joint Commission surveyed the hospital and then notified officials that the hospital would be issued a preliminary denial of accreditation.

Hospital President and CEO Theresa Rutherford confirmed the finding. Rutherford said, "Hospital leadership met with TJC officials and submitted a plan of correction, which was accepted prior to the surveyors' departure." 

Rutherford said the areas of concern were "documentation" and "the recording of processes."

Since the initial survey, The Joint Commission has re-examined the areas of concern. Rutherford said, "We fully expect St. Anthony's full accreditation to be restored."

The hospital's Home Care Program is also surveyed by The Joint Commission and it remains fully accredited.

Elizabeth Zhani, who serves as Media Relations Manager for the Department of Corporate Communications for The Joint Commission, said later Friday that The Joint Commission conducted a routine unannounced onsite visit to St. Anthony's May 9-12. Zhani's e-mail stated that "During the visit, surveyors found existence of a condition which, in The Joint Commission's view, posed a threat to patients or other individuals served. As a result, the hospital's accreditation decision was changed to 'Preliminary Denial of Accreditation'".

Zhani said in order for the hospital to restore its full accreditation status with The Joint Commission, it must undergo a review and appeal process to reverse the determination to deny accreditation. Again, the hospital submitted a plan of correction to the surveyors before they left the hospital in May.