CCHS earns patient safety accreditation

DAYTON — Columbia County Health System and Dayton General Hospital have earned accreditation from Det Norske Veritas (DNV) through its National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations (NIAHO) Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Program.

The accreditation verifies that Dayton General Hospital has satisfied the patient safety standards, known as the Conditions of Participation, set forth by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. DNV’s accreditation program also integrates the ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems. The hospital will have three years from this accreditation to achieve compliance with the international QMS standard.

For Columbia County Health System, the recognition reflects the ongoing work of staff across the organization to review processes, strengthen systems, improve communication, and support safe, reliable care for patients close to home.

“Quality and patient safety are part of the work we do every day,” said Amy Crickmer, PhD, RN, Director of Quality Improvement at Columbia County Health System. “This accreditation reflects the commitment of our entire team and gives us another strong framework to continue improving the care we provide to our community.”

Columbia County Health System/Dayton General Hospital has three years from the date of accreditation to achieve compliance with ISO 9001, one of the world’s most widely recognized quality management systems.

The NIAHO program accreditation is conducted through annual hospital surveys rather than the traditional three-year survey cycle. The program encourages hospitals to openly share information across departments and identify opportunities to improve clinical workflows, safety protocols, and communication.

Columbia County Health System serves Columbia County and the surrounding region through Dayton General Hospital, Columbia Family Clinic, Columbia Family Dental Clinic, Waitsburg Clinic, Rivers Walk Assisted Living, and a range of outpatient, emergency, rehabilitation, behavioral health, diagnostic, and long-term care services.

For more information about Columbia County Health System, visit cchd-wa.org.