program and seeking certification in an
acute care setting.
An independent, not-for-profit organization,
The Joint Commission accredits
and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations
and programs in the United
States. Joint Commission accreditation
and certification is recognized nationwide
as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s
commitment to meeting certain
performance standards.
The Joint Commission’s goal is to improve
health care for the public by evaluating
health care organizations and
inspiring them to excel in providing safe
and effective care of the highest quality
and value.
According to the Parkinson’s Disease
Foundation, as many as one million Americans
live with PD, which is more than the
combined number of people diagnosed
with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy
and Lou Gehrig's disease. Having
Parkinson’s is difficult enough for the patient
and the caretaker, but landing in hospital
with PD may be particularly
hazardous. In general, the familiarity of
healthcare providers and staff with Parkinson’s
disease is limited. Moreover, PD patients
are often admitted to
non-neurological wards where there is
even less familiarity. As a result, 60-70 percent
of patients are not given their medications
on time, and many receive
contraindicated medications. These errors
in medication increase the risk of serious
complications, such as falls, infections,
delirium and aspiration pneumonia.
The initiative at Hackensack University
Medical Center, which involves a multidisciplinary
team, including physicians,
nursing, pharmacy and Information Technology:
ensures familiarity with Parkinson’s
disease and its management
throughout the hospital; aims to ensure
Parkinson’s patients take their PD medications
on time every time; minimizes
the risk of administration of contraindicated
medications; and aims to reduce
the hospital complications of patients
with Parkinson’s disease.
BC Health, Beauty & Fitness 25
Hooman Azmi, M.D.,
chief of Functional, Restorative and
Image Guided Neurosurgery at
Hackensack Meridian Health
Hackensack University Medical Center