McLeod Medical Center Dillon has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Laboratory Services Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects McLeod Dillon’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

McLeod Dillon underwent a rigorous unannounced on-site survey in August, 2014. During the review, a Joint Commission expert surveyor evaluated compliance with laboratory standards related to several areas, including document and process control, healthcare-associated conditions, risk reduction, and staff qualifications and competency. The surveyor also conducted on-site observations and interviews.

"In achieving Joint Commission Accreditation, McLeod Dillon has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for patients," said Madge Hamer, Director of Laboratory Services at McLeod Dillon. "During the survey, the standard of care is thoroughly evaluated. This accreditation is yet another way we are able to instill confidence in the community we serve."

The Joint Commission has accredited hospital laboratory services since 1979 and freestanding laboratories since 1995. More than 1,500 organizations, including laboratories in hospitals, reference labs, blood transfusion and donor centers, public health laboratories, and point-of-care test sites, currently maintain Laboratory Services Accreditation from The Joint Commission, awarded for a two-year cycle.

"Joint Commission accreditation provides laboratories with the processes needed to improve in a variety of areas from specimen collection to result reporting," said Stacy Olea, MT(ASCP), FACHE executive director, Laboratory Services Accreditation program, The Joint Commission. "We commend McLeod Dillon for its efforts to have laboratory services contribute and support the overall health care delivery system."

"With Joint Commission accreditation, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis," said Debbie Locklair, Administrator at McLeod Dillon. "Joint Commission accreditation is evidence of an organization-wide commitment to provide quality care on an ongoing basis."

The Joint Commission’s laboratory 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 organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

About 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 20,500 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including hospitals and health care organizations that provide ambulatory and office-based surgery, behavioral health, home care, laboratory and nursing home services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. The Joint Commission has two nonprofit affiliate organizations: The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare aims to solve health care’s most critical safety and quality problems and Joint Commission Resources (JCR) provides consulting services, educational services and publications. Joint Commission International, a division of JCR, accredits and certifies international health care organizations. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.