St. John’s in Far Rockaway recognized for in person-centered care

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway was awarded Silver Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care by Planetree International. This Person-Centered Care Certification® recognizes the health facility’s åchievement and innovation in the delivery of person-centered care.

St. John’s is the first organization to earn this prestigious award through a partnership and ongoing collaborative among their cohorts from the Hospital Association of New York State.

“At St. John’s, we make it a point to treat our patients with dignity and respect, while also involving them in decisions about their healthcare,” Jerry Walsh, St. John’s chief executive officer stated in a news release. “I am extremely proud of all of our St. John’s Team Members for incorporating a person-centered approach in the way we deliver healthcare to our patients.”

In comparison with other health care quality awards, Planetree certification’s is distinctively focused on person-centered care, a model of care delivery in which health care professionals partner with patients and families to identify and satisfy the full range of patient needs and preferences.

The award is based on several factors, including performance improvement on traditional quality indicators, review of policy documents and how patients and staff assess the organization’s person-centered culture.

Silver Certification was awarded to the hospital after a series of focus groups with patients and loved ones, as well as staff from several disciplines and divisions within Sat. John’s. Considered collectively, these discussions with patients and staff attested to a genuine culture of person-centered care.

“The experience of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital shows what can be accomplished when a team of deeply committed, supremely innovative and highly-driven caregivers take the courageous leap to redefine priorities and re-organize systems to put patients first,” Susan Frampton, president of Planetree International, said in the release. Planetree is a nonprofit organization considered to be at the forefront of the movement to transform health care from the perspective of patients for more than 40 years.

Receiving Silver Certification is considered a significant milestone in St. John’s culture change journey, showing that effective policies, practices, tools and systems are in place to meet a broad range of patient, family and professional health care giver needs and preferences.

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, a 257-bed facility, is only hospital on the Rockaway Peninsula. It serves Queens County, the Five Towns and surrounding communities.