Hannibal Regional Hospital has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval.

Hannibal Regional Hospital is proud to be accredited by The Joint Commission. What does the accreditation mean, exactly? Let's let The Joint Commission tell you in their own words (from The Joint Commission website):

The Joint Commission has been accrediting hospitals for more than 50 years. Its accreditation is a nationwide seal of approval that indicates a hospital meets high performance standards. Our accreditation helps hospitals improve their performance, raise the level of patient care, and demonstrate accountability in the rapidly changing health care marketplace.

The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Since 1951, The Joint Commission has maintained state-of-the-art standards that focus on improving the quality and safety of care provided by health care organizations. The Joint Commission's comprehensive accreditation process evaluates an organization's compliance with these standards and other accreditation requirements. The Joint Commission accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflectas an organization's commitment to meeting certain performance standards. To earn and maintain The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, an organization must undergo an on-site survey by a Joint Commission survey team at least every three years. (Laboratories must be surveyed every two years.)

• The Joint Commission website

The public may contact The Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring to report any concerns or register complaints about a Joint Commission-accredited health care organization by either calling 1/800-994-6610 or e-mailing complaint@jcaho.org.