February 2, 2010 — By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety, Cibola General Hospital has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission is dedicated to continuously improving the safety and quality of the nation's health care through voluntary accreditation. The Joint Commission's on-site survey of Cibola General Hospital occurred in November, 2009.

"Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in an organization's performance and the outcomes of care," says Mark Pelletier, R.N., M.S., executive director, Hospital Programs, Accreditation and Certification Services, The Joint Commission. "The community should be proud that Cibola General Hospital is focusing on the most challenging goal -- to continuously raise quality and safety to higher levels."

Kenneth Cochran, CEO spoke of his pride in a staff whose members ask what needs to be done to be accredited by The Joint Commission. "In addition, they appreciate the educational aspect of the survey and the opportunity to interact with the team of surveyors."

He called the accreditation, "proof of an organization-wide commitment to provide quality care on an ongoing basis."

The hospital will be hosting an internal dessert reception to celebrate this achievement. For more information about Cibola General Hospital’s accreditation please visit www.cibolahospital.com and click on “About Us,” then “Our Commitment to Quality”.