Our mission is to deliver high-quality care, empower our teams to succeed and improve the wellbeing of the communities we serve.
Clinical Excellence & Recognition: Accreditations
Joint Commission
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 evaluates and accredits more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. To earn and maintain The Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years. (Laboratories must be surveyed every two years.)
Birthplace Accreditations
Blue Distinction® Centers for Maternity Care – Blue Distinction Specialty Care Program designations recognize meaningful quality and value for consumers. The Maternity Care program evaluates acute care facilities as well as children’s hospitals that offer maternity services for adult patients 18 years or older.
Blue Distinction Specialty Care is a national designation program recognizing healthcare providers that demonstrate expertise in delivering quality specialty care — safely, effectively, and cost efficiently. The goal of the program is to help consumers find both quality and value for their specialty care needs, while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of care nationwide and providing a credible foundation for local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plans (Blue Plans) to design benefits tailored to meet employers’ own quality and cost objectives.
Cardiology Accreditations
ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation – Hospital that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patient with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI available 24/7 every day of the year. As required to meet the criteria of the accreditation designation, they comply with standard Chest Pain Center protocols and are equipped with a robust hypothermia program for post-cardiac treatment. These facilities also maintain a “No Diversion Policy” for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients.
Hospitals receiving Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves: completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care, developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. Improved methods and strategies of caring for patients include streamlining processes, implementing of guidelines and standards, and adopting best practices in the care of patients experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria. and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians, and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes.
ACR Accredited Nuclear Radiology – The Nuclear Medicine Department at Cayuga Medical Center is certified in Nuclear Cardiology by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Nuclear imaging is used to evaluate the function and anatomy of the heart while it is working and is a very important diagnostic test. ARC certification indicates that our nuclear cardiology services meet the highest standards of care.
Imaging Accreditations
American College of Radiology – The ACR has established detailed standards of medical practice for radiologic imaging. These standards define how diagnostic and interventional imaging exams should be performed to provide high quality, safe patient care within each field of radiologic specialty.
The guidelines encompass every aspect of imaging, including the specific training requirements of certified personnel, the responsibilities of each caregiver, and the exact specifications of equipment and the imaging studies to be performed. The standards also spell out what medical centers must do in the areas of quality improvement and patient safety. Every four years these practice standards are updated to reflect current best practices.
The results of these nationally implemented ACR standards are improved diagnostic image quality, improved clinical results, and improved patient safety. When you see the ACR seal of approval you know that our Department of Imaging Services has gone through a review process that confirms our practice of nationally accepted standards of care. You know that our radiologists, radiologic technologists, sonographers, and nurses are well qualified to provide your care. You know that our equipment is appropriate for the imaging study you will receive and that our services meet or exceed quality assurance and safety guidelines.
Oncology Accreditations
Commission on Cancer – The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through setting standards, cancer prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive quality care. Care at a hospital with approval by the Commission on Cancer gives patients and their families peace of mind.
Cayuga Cancer Center has maintained continuous approval status from the Commission on Cancer since 1985. In 2018 we received our third consecutive Outstanding Achievement Award. This award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing the highest quality of care to cancer patients. This is important to local cancer patients because it recognizes a level of care that exceeds established baseline standards of care and places Cayuga Medical Center among benchmark hospitals.
