FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2002

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) recently completed a survey at the newly opened Queens Hospital Center. Queens Hospital Center received a preliminary survey score ranking among the highest in the country.

JCAHO, which accredits the nation's hospitals and health care organizations released the preliminary scores yesterday, following a week long review of its practices and procedures in the assessment and care of patients, management of the hospital, training and education of staff and the continuum of care.

HHC President Dr. Benjamin Chu said, "This recognition of the quality of patient care provided by the physicians, nurses and support staff at Queens Hospital is especially gratifying in light of the more detailed review process used this year." He noted, "In addition to the review of policies and procedures, the JCAHO survey team spent a great deal of time interviewing all levels of staff to determine how well the actual practice of care matched the hospital's policies and procedures. The Queens community can be proud of this achievement."

Founded in 1951, JCAHO is the nation's oldest and largest accrediting body for health care organizations. A JCAHO survey team spent the week of April 29 - May 2 at Queens Hospital.

More than half of New York City's public hospitals carries JCAHO's highest rating, accreditation with full standard compliance. HHC scores average 94, while JCAHO's current national average is 91. Only about 9 percent of the 4,700 hospitals surveyed annually earn the organization's highest rating. The accreditation is for three years. HHC is a $4.3 billion public benefit corporation that operates eleven acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities and six diagnostic and treatment centers. Each year 1.3 million people - or one in six New Yorkers - are treated in an HHC facility, including more than 545,000 uninsured New Yorkers. In a recent survey, eight out of ten patients said that they would recommend HHC hospitals to family and friends.