VALDOSTA – Amid controversy and tumult, SGMC is struggling with its reputation.

Following a heated departure of its CEO Ross Berry, potential buy-out of his three-year contract, the appointment of an interim CEO, along with renegotiation measures to keep two popular cardiologists, SGMC has taken some hits in the last year.

Now SGMC is faced with losing its accreditation with The Joint Commission, which is responsible for certifying and accrediting around 21,000 hospitals and other healthcare organizations nationwide. The Joint Comission has issued a “preliminary denial of accreditation” to SGMC, noting that the last on-site survey was September 14, and the effective date of the preliminary denial being September 19. As of this writing, they have not remedied this denial. Quality Report,which lists The Joint Commission accreditation status among healthcare providers, states the reasons a hospital might receive this denial: https://www.qualitycheck.org/quality-report/?keyword=sgmc&bsnid=6738

Earning accreditation or certification from The Joint Commission signifies many things, with none larger than a devotion to patient safety, as stated on Qualitycheck.org – which lists Joint Commission accreditation status among healthcare organizations.

The Joint Commission states its relevance on Quality Check, saying,

“Through the accreditation process, organizations learn state-of-the-art performance-improvement strategies in order to continuously improve the safety and quality of care, which can reduce the risk of errors and the cost of liability insurance coverage. It also provides invaluable education, whether that’s through support and education services, advice and counsel from surveyors during the on-site survey, or practical tools, such as The Leading Practice Library or Targeted Solutions Tools – interactive web-based tools from the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare that allow accredited organizations to measure their performance and find customized solutions.”

Defining Preliminary Denial of Accreditation:

“results when there is justification to deny accreditation to a health care organization due to one or more of the following: an immediate threat to health or safety for patients or the public; submission of falsified documents or misrepresented information, lack of a required license or similar issue at the time of survey, failure to resolve the requirements of an Accreditation with Follow-up Survey status; patients having been placed at risk for serious adverse outcomes due to significant or pervasive patterns/trends/repeat findings, or significant noncompliance with Joint Commission standards. This decision is subject to review and appeal before the determination to deny accreditation.” (https://www.qualitycheck.org/glossary/#Accreditation_Programs)

Earning accreditation or certification from The Joint Commission signifies many things, with none larger than a devotion to patient safety.

“By earning our Gold Seal, you’re telling your staff, competitors, community and each and every patient that comes through your doors that you have placed an emphasis on quality of care.”

SGMC’s lab maintains its accreditation.

An emergency closed-door meeting was held on Monday to discuss SGMC’s future. SGMC has 45 days to satisfy The Joint Commission’s requirements for accreditation.