Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) is proud to have earned a three-year recertification to the ISO 9001:2000 International Quality Standard. This certification serves as a basis to improve quality awareness and employees’ understanding of roles and responsibilities.
ISO 9000 series standard was created nearly 20 years ago and was significantly modified in 2000. It was initially a manufacturing standard, but has expanded to include other industries as well. The ISO 9001:2000 standard requires a verifiable process approach, demonstration of customer focus and continuous improvement.
“Our foremost goal with the ISO 9001:2000 certification is to prevent problems from occurring. ISO also provides ways to detect and correct problems and ensures we maintain conformance to our documented processes,” said Rob Montagnese, President & CEO of Licking Memorial Health Systems.
The ISO 9001:2000 certification addresses communication and empowers employees to establish consistent operations and processes. “Our recertification demonstrates our consistent focus on patient care and desire to continuously improve how we deliver and support patient care delivery processes,” reported Debbie Young, Vice President of Patient Care Services. “In addition, by adhering to the ISO 9001 standards, we have been able to enhance patient safety and customer satisfaction.”
To attain recertification, LMH underwent a week-long audit, and staff members in many areas participated in interviews with the auditors from Smithers Quality Assessments, Inc. Licking Memorial Hospital received its first ISO 9001:2000 certification in 2005.
Licking Memorial Hospital has served the medical needs of Licking County residents since it was founded in 1898. The 227-bed facility utilizes more than 1,650 staff members to meet the health care needs of the community. Licking Memorial Hospital is proud to have been named to Thomson Reuters’ national list of 100 Top Hospitals for a ninth year. For more information, visit www.LMHealth.org.