POTSDAM -- Canton-Potsdam Hospital has received national accreditation from DNV Healthcare, the newest and first Medicare-approved hospital accreditation program.

A new accreditation standard integrates a hospital’s quality management system with Medicare standards and requires the organization to evaluate patient care all the way through a health care system.

It is also designed to require measured steps to improve when it is warranted.

“The DNV program is more consistent with our long-term commitment to patient safety and total quality,” says Marlinda LaValley, Vice President of Administrative Services. “There has not been a new hospital accreditation organization in over 40 years. The ability to integrate the ISO 9001 quality management system with our clinical and financial processes is a major step forward.”

C-PH says that DNV hospital accreditation “addresses the demands of quality-driven hospitals that are dedicated to patient-centered care. As part of the accreditation process, DNV surveyors track the care of patients across various departments and facilities of Canton-Potsdam Hospital,” the announcement from the hospital said.

“It’s a much more holistic system,” says LaValley. “DNV’s inspection process is more thorough and collaborative than what we have previously experienced. The DNV program helps us find opportunities throughout the organization to improve every day. This is a welcomed change. We now look upon accreditation as a strategic business tool and as source of empowerment for our staff. The DNV program keeps us moving forward.”

Being accredited allows Canton-Potsdam Hospital to receive reimbursement for its patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The DNV accreditation program was authorized by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2008 and is the only program that integrates the ISO quality management system with Medicare’s Conditions of Participation, the core requirements for hospitals set forth by the federal government. Canton-Potsdam Hospital will have the entire three-year accreditation period to become compliant with the ISO 9001:2008 standards, which is a requirement to continue accreditation with DNV.

For more information about DNV Healthcare and its NIAHOR hospital accreditation program, visit http://www.dnvaccreditation.com.