Photo By Travis Jones | A team from Nash Healthcare Consulting visits Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to...... read more read more
LANDSTUHL, Germany - Landstuhl Regional Medical Center conducted a mock survey Jan. 27-31 to prepare for an upcoming Joint Commission accreditation visit.
Led by Sam Sheth, a pharmacist and chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Nash Healthcare Consulting, the assessment aimed to help LRMC and its outlying medical and dental clinics identify areas for improvement in patient and staff safety as well as regulatory compliance.
The Defense Health Agency arranges these mock surveys about one year before the official Joint Commission evaluation, giving military treatment facilities time to address areas needing improvement.
The survey team also included a physician surveyor, an infection control nurse surveyor, behavioral health surveyor, and a life safety surveyor.
“Our goal is to assess the organization so that when the official survey happens, LRMC is in the best possible position to achieve maximum results,” Dr. Stephen Dorman, the LRMC physician surveyor, said.
The Joint Commission survey evaluates medical facilities on a wide range of safety and quality standards, including environmental care, nursing practices, infection control, credentialing, and patient care.
While military treatment facilities are not required to comply with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations, Joint Commission accreditation remains a recognized benchmark of excellence in health care.
“In the civilian world, the Joint Commission surveys on behalf of CMS, but for military hospitals, it serves as an advocate for patient safety,” Dorman said. “When we conduct these surveys, our real goal is to focus on maximizing safe conditions for both patients and staff.”
LRMC partnered with Nash Healthcare Consulting to conduct the mock survey. The NHC team, made up of former Joint Commission and CMS surveyors, provided training, process execution assistance, recommendations for corrective actions, and full survey preparation.
“The Nash team works closely with our hospital leaders and front-line staff to help sustain compliance with Joint Commission standards,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jennifer Miller, LRMC director of quality and safety. “Their expertise is invaluable in strengthening patient safety protocols, risk management, and overall quality of care.”
During the survey, individual tracing sessions and system-level reviews were conducted to evaluate LRMC’s compliance with more than 400 standards outlined in the Joint Commission’s accreditation manual. Each surveyor focused on a specialized area while also cross-evaluating multiple standards for a comprehensive assessment.
Beyond regulatory preparation, the mock survey helped proactively identify and address any significant patient safety concerns well in advance of the official Joint Commission visit.
“The goal is twofold,” Dorman said. “First, to ensure LRMC is fully prepared for the Joint Commission survey, and second, to identify and correct any critical patient safety issues before they impact care.”
LRMC is the largest U.S. military hospital outside the continental United States and the only forward-stationed medical center for U.S. and coalition forces, and Department of State personnel. LRMC is a Level II trauma center, verified by the American College of Surgeons, the only Level II trauma center overseas, and the only American trauma center associated with a foreign trauma system.
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2025 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 491879 |
| Location: | LANDSTUHL, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 84 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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