Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has announced the successful completion of its ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification by DNV GL. Nicklaus Children’s is the second freestanding children’s hospital in the nation to obtain this certification.
Since the hospital’s initial DNV GL accreditation in 2016, Nicklaus Children’s and its network of outpatient centers have participated in annual accreditation site visit evaluations to ensure steady progression toward ISO 9001 certification. ISO 9001 sets forth criteria for quality management that include a strong customer focus, engagement of top management, a process approach and continual improvement. The ultimate impact of ISO within hospitals is the reduction or elimination of variation, so that critical work processes are done consistently and the “best ideas” aren’t by one person or department, but are ingrained in the organization itself.
“The hospital sought to become an early adopter of this most stringent accreditation standard as part of its longstanding commitment to quality and patient safety,” said Matthew A. Love, Interim CEO, Nicklaus Children’s Health System, the hospital’s parent organization. “ISO certification not only reflects that mission, but helps empower it. We are proud to have achieved this milestone. The ability to integrate these quality standards to enhance patient care is a major step forward,” he said.
Present for the hospital’s celebratory announcement was Patrick Horine, President of DNV GL Healthcare, along with Nicklaus Children’s leaders and employees.
“Nicklaus Children’s has worked hard to achieve this certification, and they have done so with unwavering commitment from their top leadership to make their hospital the best it can be,” said Patrick Horine, President of DNV GL Healthcare. “ISO certification isn’t just an award or trophy for something you’ve done, it’s public evidence that you are at the top of your game with an obvious plan in place to make excellence an everyday objective.”
Marisol Llerena-Castro, Director Accreditation & Regulatory, Environment of Care/Safety Officer at Nicklaus Children’s Health System, said, “Our pursuit of this enhanced accreditation standing has engaged every department and service within our organization. We are so proud of how all teams across our health system have stepped up to embrace this new standard of excellence.”
ISO 9001 is the most widely accepted quality management system in use around the world, and is quickly gaining acceptance among U.S. healthcare providers as a foundation for their quality and patient safety programs.
About DNV GL Healthcare
DNV GL Healthcare, with offices in Cincinnati and Houston, is a division of DNV GL - Business Assurance, part of the DNV GL Group, an independent foundation dedicated to safeguarding life, property and the environment. Globally, DNV GL - Business Assurance has more than 100 offices and is one of the world’s leading certification, assessment and training companies. For more information about DNV GL hospital accreditation, visit http://www.dnvglcert.com/healthcare.