12/19/2016
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 19, 2016 – China’s Xiangya International Medical Center (XIMC), established and operated in partnership with UPMC, was recently awarded the Joint Commission International (JCI) Gold Seal of Approval™, signifying that XIMC complies with the highest international standards for safety and quality of care and commitment to continually improving patient care
The accreditation followed a rigorous, four-day assessment at XIMC in Changsha that included evaluation of its compliance with more than 1,000 measures of care. JCI focuses on determining whether a health care facility has the right systems and processes in place to support high-quality and safe patient care and has the culture and capacity to continuously improve care. Its surveyors examine crucial issues such as the safe use of medications, infection prevention and control, patient assessment and patient rights.
“The positive results of JCI's survey are testament to the two years of planning and hard work by dedicated teams from XIMC and UPMC International,” said Bruno Gridelli, M.D., executive vice president of UPMC International. “From the very start of this collaboration, it has been our joint vision to provide the highest quality of care for patients in the Hunan Province.”
Starting in 2014, UPMC helped to establish XIMC on the existing Changsha campus of Xiangya Hospital. The facility offers world-class care to private-pay patients under a government-endorsed effort to relieve overcrowding in public hospitals by cooperating with private facilities. UPMC serves as the exclusive advisor on the management of XIMC and participates in both medical and administrative oversight of all services.
“As evidenced by our JCI accreditation, the gold standard for health care quality internationally, XIMC is solidifying its position as a leader in providing the best health care in China,” said Sun Hong, M.D., Ph.D., president of Xiangya Hospital, affiliated with Central South University. “The comprehensive survey process itself will result in even more improvements that benefit our patients and staff.”
JCI will continue to monitor XIMC for compliance with all JCI hospital standards throughout the three-year accreditation cycle.
UPMC’s services at XIMC have included training for medical and administrative staff, sharing of enhanced quality assurance and safety processes, recommendations on technology, equipment and staffing, and telemedicine links to UPMC’s clinical programs in Pittsburgh and Italy.
Established in 1906, the Xiangya Hospital has more than 80 clinical departments and serves more than 100,000 inpatients and more than 2.1 million outpatients annually.