FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Linda Johnson
WCA Hospital Public Relations
(716) 664-8614

WCA Clinical Laboratory Awarded Accreditation By The Joint Commission

Jamestown, New York (Monday, June 22, 2009) - By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety, the WCA Hospital Laboratory has earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™.

"We continually strive to improve the quality of our services, and meeting The Joint Commission's rigorous national standards is an important recognition of our efforts," says Betsy T. Wright, WCA Hospital President/CEO.  "The Joint Commission evaluated the laboratory's performance in complying with nearly 300 standards related to quality control, safety, infection control, leadership, management of human resources, management of information, ongoing performance improvement activities and other issues."

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 accreditation process helps promote continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in health care organizations," says Margaret Peck, executive director, Laboratory Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. "Achieving accreditation demonstrates WCA Hospital's commitment to providing high quality and safe services."

William A. Geary, MD, Pathologist, Medical Director of the WCA Hospital Laboratory, says efforts to improve don't stop when The Joint Commission survey is over. "Meeting the standards and achieving excellence is a continuous process," says Dr. Geary. "No matter how well we did today, we continue to strive to do better tomorrow."

"It takes a dedicated group of highly skilled professionals to earn and maintain this accreditation of excellence," says Mrs. Wright.  "We extend congratulations to the entire laboratory team for once again being recognized for our high standards of safety and quality health care for the patients and communities we are so privileged to serve."

WCA Hospital of Jamestown is Southwestern New York's largest not-for-profit health care provider, offering an extensive range of inpatient and outpatient acute care and rehabilitation services. WCA is accredited by The Joint Commission and the American College of Radiology; and is approved by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.