Optim Medical Center-Tattnall has been awarded by DNV full certification to the ISO 9001 Quality Management System.

“Optim Medical Center-Tattnall is dedicated to providing the safest and most effective healthcare services possible,” says Lora Duncan, Optim Health System’s Chief Nursing and Clinical Operations Officer. “ISO 9001 certification not only reflects that mission but helps to empower it. The certificate is more than a piece of paper, it validates the incredible team effort and excellence we demonstrate in the way we do business. ISO 9001 is ideally suited to the complex, people-intensive challenges of running a hospital.”

ISO 9001 is the most widely accepted quality management system in use around the world and is quickly gaining acceptance among US healthcare providers as a foundation for their quality and patient safety programs.

“Optim Medical Center-Tattnall has worked hard to achieve this certification, and they have done so with unwavering commitment from their top leadership to make their hospital the best it can be,” says Patrick Horine, President of DNV Healthcare USA Inc. “ISO 9001 certification isn’t just an award or trophy for something you’ve done, it’s public evidence that you are at the top of your game with an obvious plan in place to make excellence an every day objective.”

ISO 9001 brings science to the art of caregiving; it helps to standardize processes around things that are proven to work, by the people doing the work, thus empowering frontline workers while creating an environment of predictability for the entire organization. The ultimate impact of ISO 9001 within hospitals is the reduction or elimination of variation, so that critical work processes are done consistently, and the “best ideas” aren’t held by one person or one department but are ingrained in the organization itself.

Businesses that implement ISO 9001 do so for both the internal and external benefits. Internally it helps staff create clear and consistent processes of patient care and ensure that progress is constantly being made toward specific quality objectives. Externally, it tells the public, as well as insurers and regulatory agencies, that the hospital is not only talking about quality, but is pursuing it with discipline and transparency.

“ISO 9001 is like sheet music for an orchestra; it gets everyone on the same page and helps us achieve our objectives,” says Duncan.

In addition to being ISO 9001 certified, DNV GL Healthcare has also designated Optim Medical Center-Tattnall as an Orthopaedic Center of Excellence and certified Hip and Knee Replacement, Shoulder Surgery, and Spine Surgery programs. Program Certification is based on standards set forth by the DNV GL Healthcare standard and adherence to guidelines of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and affirms that the medical center addresses the full spectrum of– diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and education – and establishes clear metrics to evaluate outcomes.

“Achieving certification shows commitment to excellence,” explains Horine. “And it helps demonstrate to your community that you are performing at the highest level.”