Downtown specialty hospital becomes just third hospital in Texas to receive TJC’s distinguished Gold Seal of Approval® for the treatment of complex wounds.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (June 7, 2023) – Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central, a specialty hospital in downtown, has earned a distinguished national certification for its program in treating complex wounds.
After a rigorous evaluation, The Joint Commission (TJC) awarded Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central its Gold Seal of Approval and Disease-Specific Certification in Wound Care, making it only the third hospital in Texas and first in South Central Texas to receive that certification.
Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central earned the Wound Care Certification by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The TJC’s Gold Seal, which is highly regarded and coveted in the hospital industry, is a symbol of quality that reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central, which is the only the 31st hospital nationally to receive the Wound Care Certification, underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review from The Joint Commission on April 20, 2023. During the visit, a reviewer evaluated the hospital’s compliance with certification standards, including the management of its wound treatment program, the delivery of clinical care, and performance improvement. The reviewer conducted observations and interviews with patients and employees.
“The Joint Commission’s Wound Care Certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Deborah Ryan, MS, RN, Interim Executive Vice President of Accreditation and Certification Operations for The Joint Commission. “We commend Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central for using certification to reduce variation in its clinical processes and to strengthen its program structure and management framework for complex wound care patients.”
Healing wounds is an important step in the recovery process from a variety of conditions. Complex wounds, which often cause extensive damage to both layers of the skin as well as the underlying subcutaneous tissues, can result from infection, vascular disease, pressure injury, trauma, or prolonged moisture. Complex wound care is a critical service for long-term acute care patients, who are typically undergoing extended recovery from serious injury or illness and often have limited mobility.
“Earning Wound Care Certification from The Joint Commission is a validation of the high standard of care at Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central, and we are proud to be one of only a few hospitals in our state to hold this distinguished credential in such an important specialty of long-term acute care,” said Dr. Heather McKenzie, Medical Director for Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central’s Wound Care Program. “I am humbled and honored to be part of a team that is dedicated, creative, and passionate about patient care. These qualities allow us to tackle very complex wounds, and this certification is evidence to our patients and our community that we are experts in wound care and take it very seriously.”
In order to prepare for Wound Care Certification, the Kindred Hospital team reviewed clinical guidelines with more than 300 individual recommendations, tracked patient outcomes, and enhanced patient education to expand to lifestyle changes that can prevent or heal wounds. Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central’s program focuses on early screening and assessment, prevention, multi-modality treatment options, and education of staff and patients.
The Wound Care Certification is Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central’s second Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care Certification. The hospital is also certified in Respiratory Failure.
For more information, please visit The Joint Commission website.
ABOUT KINDRED HOSPITAL SAN ANTONIO CENTRAL: Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central is a 44-bed long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) that treats chronically, critically ill patients with specialized care who require an extended stay in a hospital setting. It holds Disease-Specific Care Certification from The Joint Commission in Respiratory Failure and Wound Care. Located in downtown San Antonio at 111 Dallas Street, next to Madison Square Park and inside the Baptist Medical Center, Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central is part of ScionHealth, a national health system which is the United States’ largest provider of long-term acute care. More information: www.kindredsanantoniocentral.com
Contact: Jennifer West
Chief Clinical Officer
Kindred Hospital San Antonio Central
jennifer.west@kindred.com
210.297.7198