MDS earns The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval Published Jan. 20, 2016 By 66th Medical Squadron HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- The 66th Medical Squadron here was recently accredited by The Joint Commission and certified as a Primary Care Medical Home organization. The Hanscom clinic announced it earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with nationally-recognized standards. The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. Col. Joel O. Almosara, 66 MDS commander, credited the success of the inspection to the clinic's staff. "The entire MDS team worked hard to ensure that not only did they meet The Joint Commission standards, they exceeded them," he said. "Our success tells The Joint Commission that our providers are well trained and are able to demonstrate proficiency in specific job competencies." During an on-site survey in early December, the Joint Commission evaluated compliance with ambulatory care standards related to a variety of areas, including coordination of care, monitoring for procedures that involve use of sedation or anesthesia, infection prevention and control, management of medications and patient education and training. In addition, The Joint Commission evaluated the clinic's compliance with standards related to how effectively the primary care clinician and the interdisciplinary team work in partnership with patients to provide comprehensive, coordinated and patient-centered care. The Joint Commission awarded 66th Medical Squadron with the Gold Seal of Approval for Primary Care Medical Home Certification. "The Department of Defense requires all military treatment facilities to maintain a civilian accreditation," said Almosara. Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission, in collaboration with other stakeholders, seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The commission accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. For further information on The Joint Commission, visit http://www.jointcommission.org/.