Methodist Dallas Earns Three Top Honors For Pancreas Treatment

DALLAS, Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Methodist Dallas Medical Center is proud to announce its pancreatitis program is first in the nation to receive The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval®. The Gold Seal® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

Methodist Dallas also received the Gold Seal of Approval® for pancreatic surgery and pancreatic cancer. In 2014, Methodist Dallas was first in the nation to be certified for pancreatic surgery and its pancreatic program was the first to be certified in Texas. Both programs received recertification this year.

In October 2016, Methodist Dallas underwent a rigorous on-site review. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with national disease-specific care standards as well as with pancreas disease-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed.

"Methodist Dallas has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients with pancreatic disease," said Wendi J. Roberts, RN, executive director, Certification Programs, The Joint Commission. "We commend Methodist Dallas for becoming a leader in pancreatic care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for patients in its community."

The Joint Commission's Disease-Specific Care Certification evaluates clinical programs across the continuum of care and addresses three core areas: compliance with consensus-based national standards; effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and an organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

"Our success can be attributed to the high caliber of care provided by a multidisciplinary team at Methodist Digestive Institute," said Martin Koonsman, MD, FACS, President of Methodist Dallas Medical Center. "We look forward to continuing to develop our pancreas center of excellence and providing this superior level of care to patients throughout North Texas."

About Methodist Health System
Guided by the founding principles of life, learning, and compassion, Dallas-based Methodist Health System (Methodist) provides quality, integrated health care to improve and save the lives of individuals and families throughout North Texas. Seven hospitals and 25 Methodist Family Health Centers and Medical Groups are among the facilities served by the nonprofit Methodist Health System, which is affiliated by covenant with the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Additional information is available at MethodistHealthSystem.org. Connect through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter at MethodistHealthSystem.org/SocialMedia. Disclaimer: The physicians on the Methodist Health System medical staff are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Methodist Health System or any of its affiliated hospitals.

About The 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 accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

SOURCE Methodist Dallas Medical Center