Northeast Rehab Awarded Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease Specific Care Certification in Stroke, Brain Injury and Amputee Rehab
5-day review for disease-specific care certification yields a deficiency-free survey at all four inpatient rehabilitation hospitals – Salem, Nashua, Manchester, and Portsmouth
(Salem, NH – 2024) – Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital has once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification of its Stroke, Brain Injury and Amputee Rehabilitation Programs by demonstrating continuous compliance with performance standards in all three areas. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. Certification recognizes health care organizations for their efforts in select disease-specific areas of care.
Organizations that volunteer to participate in the certification process are evaluated every two years on how they are using clinical outcomes and performance measures to identify opportunities to improve care, as well as to educate and prepare patients and their caregivers for discharge. Northeast Rehab first earned Joint Commission certification for its Stroke Program in 2007. Since then, the organization has achieved additional certifications in Brain Injury (2013) and Amputee Rehabilitation (2016) and has achieved recertification at every subsequent review.
A week-long onsite review that included all four of Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital’s inpatient facilities – Salem, Nashua, Manchester, and Portsmouth – resulted in the most recent recertification. During their visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated each hospital’s compliance with related certification standards including:
- Program management,
- Supporting patient self-management,
- Delivering and facilitating clinical care
- Use of clinical practice guidelines
- Ensuring staff competence
The Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts, and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
“Disease-Specific Care Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “We commend Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital for using The Joint Commission certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care for individuals served.”
“These quality accomplishments are reflections of our efforts to deliver continuously reliable care while creating an experience that provides our patients with the best possible opportunity for recovery,” said Charles Champagne, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. “We are proud to be part of this exceptional review program and to uphold the standards of The Joint Commission. All of this exemplifies the commitment of our founder, Howard M. Gardner, M.D., who established this organization 40 years ago in 1984. He called upon his experience as an army neurosurgeon to help patients affected by an unexpected illness or injury rebuild their lives. I applaud our team for their dedication to this mission and our long-standing commitment to patient care.”
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.
About Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network:
Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network includes four acute inpatient rehabilitation hospitals – located in Salem, Portsmouth, Manchester, and Nashua – that provide comprehensive rehabilitation services to help individuals who have been affected by an unexpected, life-changing injury or illness rebuild their lives. Custom recovery programs for stroke, brain injury, amputation, neurological conditions, spinal cord injuries and orthopedic conditions are provided at each of these locations by a comprehensive clinical care team consisting of dedicated hospitalists and physiatrists; RNs; physical, speech and occupational therapists; and specialty physicians. All four hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission and have also earned Disease-Specific Care Certification for brain injury, stroke, and amputee rehabilitation. Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network opened its flagship location in Salem, NH, in 1984 under the leadership of Howard M. Gardner, M.D. Since then, Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital Network has grown to include over 20 outpatient centers, a sports medicine division, an outpatient pediatric division and many other services for those in need of rehabilitation.
