Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center Becomes Orange County's First Hospital Awarded Advanced Certification In Inpatient Diabetes Care

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Aug. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center (FVRMC) has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ for its Inpatient Diabetes Care program, demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. FVRMC is the first hospital in Orange County to earn this certification, one of only 11 in California and 66 nationwide.

"In achieving Joint Commission advanced certification, Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients with diabetes," says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q., executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission.

The Joint Commission's Advanced Certification for Inpatient Diabetes Care, developed in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association (ADA), provides standards related to: 

• Staff education requirements,
• Written blood glucose monitoring protocols,
• Plans for the treatment of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia,
• Data collection of incidences of hypoglycemia,
• Patient education on self-management of diabetes, and
• An identified program champion or program champion team.

"Elevating the level of diabetic care takes continuous improvement and focus on best practices hospital-wide," says Dr. Punim, Diabetes Program Medical Director for FVRMC. "We have an excellent team of physicians and clinicians who do just that every day."

In 2010, FVRMC earned the ADA's Certification for its outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Education Program. Building on that successful program, the hospital began clinical process improvements to reduce inpatient critical hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Critical hypoglycemia affects not only hospitalized diabetic patients but gastric bypass patients, patients with kidney or liver damage, heart failure and sepsis among others. The results garnered FVRMC the Clinical Innovation Award from Tenet Healthcare in 2012 and serves as a model of best practice across all Tenet facilities.

"I'm very proud of our hospital for earning this certification – the first hospital in Orange County to do so," says B. Joseph Badalian, FVRMC's CEO.  "I sincerely appreciate the dedication and hard work of our physicians and associates for their efforts to better our hospital and improve patient care.  Many thanks to all those who helped us achieve this recognition and I look forward to sharing more progress with our community."

In addition to the Joint Commission's Advanced Certification for Inpatient Diabetes Care, FVRMC is also a Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Center. To learn more, visit www.fountainvalleyhospital.com.

Contact: Dina Edwards, Manager
Marketing & Communications
Tel: (714) 966-8175
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Fountain Valley Regional Medical Center