Pa. Department of Health Recognizes Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie with Award for Excellence in Health Care Compliance

National Healthcare Quality Week is Oct. 14-20

ERIE, Pa., Oct. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Acting Secretary of Health Michael Wolf today presented the Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie with the state's first award for "Excellence in Health Care Compliance."

Saint Vincent was one of seven of the state's 244 health care facilities, and the only one in the region, to receive this award during National Healthcare Quality Week.

"As the industry regulators, we understand the importance of identifying best practices and recognizing the strengths that we have here in Pennsylvania," Wolf said. "This new award was developed to identify facilities demonstrating excellence in meeting state regulations and positively reinforce those actions."

The Department of Health licenses and oversees hospitals statewide including acute care, long-term acute care, critical access, rehabilitation, children's and psychiatric hospitals. In addition, the department conducts approximately 2,000 inspections annually, including licensure and certification surveys, follow-up surveys and complaint investigations.

Facilities receiving the award were required to have no health citations during the last state licensure survey and no major life safety code deficiencies on the last building inspection. All department-licensed hospitals were eligible for the awards and did not need to apply to be considered.

"Saint Vincent is honored to be one of the first recipients in Pennsylvania to receive the award for Excellence in Health Care Compliance," Scott Whalen, president and CEO of Saint Vincent Health System said. "This recognition is the result of the dedication of our team of physicians, nurses and all associates who work to comply with state regulations to ensure we are providing the best safeguards for the long term health and welfare of our patients."  

To view hospital surveys from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, visit www.health.state.pa.us and select "Hospitals" under the "Facilities, Providers and Managed Care Plans" tab.

Media contact: Kait Gillis or Holli Senior, 717-787-1783

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Health

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