Inspection shows RSH is in top tier
Joint Commission makes unannounced, 3-day survey
BY TERRIE GONZALEZ

An unannounced survey by the Joint Commission reveals that Rusk State Hospital is in the top tier of medical facilities in the nation.

Following a three-day inspection in January by four surveyors, Rusk State Hospital received accolades and a punch list of five minor issues to correct.

No other facility has had less than 12 issues to correct, beamed Ted Debbs, Rusk State Hospital superintendent.

The good news arrived just in time for Dr. David L. Lakey, commissioner of the Department of State Health Services in Austin. He was about to present testimony at the State Capitol, and he was able to work the inspection results into his speech.

One of the inspectors told Mr. Debbs at the conclusion of the survey that a small handful of facilities stand out in the inspectors' minds for setting a high standard. Rusk State Hospital is now added to the short list.

The items marked for correction are considered minor. "One involved having a sign up on a bulletin board with the Joint Commission's phone number," said Mr. Debbs.

"Another involved Phillips screws which secured a bathroom ceiling's vent. They wanted non-removable screws on a geriatric unit to prevent patients from hurting themselves. All five of the flagged items were corrected before the Joint Commission left."

Besides looking at screws in the ceiling and information notices on bulletin boards, members of the Joint Commission team scrutinized patient records to see if follow-up instructions are clear.

They poured over prescriptions in the pharmacy to see if the directions for use contained unauthorized medical abbreviations that could lead to confusion in administering the medication.

Most hospitals receive at least one demerit for transitioning a patient from one department to another in delivering patient care. But not at Rusk State Hospital.

"This is our cleanest survey yet," said Mr. Debbs. "But what this really shows is the ongoing process of quality that is in place every day," he said as he commended the staff of 1,000.

"Our goal is to be ready for an unannounced survey every single day," said Mr. Debbs.

The Joint Commission is charged with accrediting hospitals nationwide.

"For more than 50 years, the Joint Commission has been charged with accrediting hospitals across the nation with a seal of approval that indicates a hospital meets high performance standards," the organization's web site states.

The purpose of an unannounced survey is:

+ To help health care organizations focus on providing safe, high quality care at all times, and not just when preparing for survey.

+To affirm the expectation of continuous standards compliance both by the Joint Commission of its accredited organizations and by these organizations of themselves.

+To enhance the credibility of the accreditation process by ensuring that surveyors observe organization performance under normal circumstances.

+ To reduce the unnecessary costs that health care organizations incur to prepare for survey.

+ To address public concerns that the Joint Commission receive an accurate reflection of the quality and safety of care.