CINCINNATI, June 24, 2013 – Sentara Healthcare, comprising 10 hospitals and nearly 3700 clinical staff, has completed its system-wide conversion to hospital accreditation from DNV Healthcare.
 
DNV is the only accrediting body for US hospitals to combine the Medicare Conditions of Participation with the ISO 9001 Quality Management System into a unified accreditation program. Hospital surveys are conducted annually to increase collaboration and promote continual improvement across departments.
In 2011 Sentara began an evaluation of DNV accreditation at one of its hospitals, then used the success of that pilot to commence a system-wide transition to DNV from its previous accrediting program.
 
“We at Sentara have long believed in providing the highest quality care to our patients and our decision to move to DNV accreditation reflects a shared commitment between our organizations to patient safety and the provision of quality care,” says Sentara CEO David Bernd. “We also believe the ability to integrate the
 
ISO 9001 Quality Management System with our clinical and financial processes is a significant advantage moving forward.”
 
One of Sentara’s hospitals has already advanced to full ISO certification, and others are evaluating certification as a natural continuation of their DNV accreditation, which ensures hospitals are compliant with ISO 9001:2008 standards but doesn’t require a formal certificate.
 
“ISO really makes the difference,” says Patrick Horine, CEO of DNV Healthcare. “The core CMS requirements are a good framework for patient safety. But ISO helps promote innovation and constant forward movement. It is ideally suited for healthcare in terms of reducing variation and ensuring consistency across the entire hospital.”
 
About Sentara Healthcare
Sentara Healthcare is a not-for-profit health system ranked among the nation's top integrated healthcare systems by Modern Healthcare magazine. Founded in 1888, Sentara now operates more than 100 sites of care serving residents across Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. The system is comprised of 10 acute care hospitals, advanced imaging centers, nursing and assisted-living centers, outpatient campuses, a home health and hospice agency, a 3,680-provider medical staff, and three medical groups with 618 providers.  Optima Health, an award winning Sentara owned health plan, serves 450,000 members in Virginia.
 
About DNV Healthcare
DNV Healthcare Inc., with offices in Cincinnati and Houston, is a division of DNV Business Assurance, part of the DNV Group, an independent foundation dedicated to safeguarding life, property and the environment. Globally, DNV Business Assurance has more than 100 offices and is one of the world’s leading certification, assessment and training companies. For more information about DNV hospital accreditation, visit www.dnvaccreditation.com.