Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Awarded JCI Gold Seal of Approval

After only one year of operation, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has earned the Joint Commission International’s (JCI) prestigious Gold Seal of Approval® for hospital accreditation. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a global symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

“Our ‘Patients First’ philosophy shapes the decisions we make every day to ensure high quality care and patient safety. The JCI survey is an external validation of the processes we’ve put in place and helps us identify where we can improve to better serve our patients,” said Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

A rigorous evaluation

JCI surveyors reviewed hospital standards in emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management. They also conducted onsite observations and interviews with caregivers throughout the organization.

The surveyors ranked Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on more than 1,000 combined standards and measurable elements, noting the hospital was compliant with standards and scored particularly high in the areas of International Patient Safety Goals, Access to Care & Continuity of Care, Patient & Family Rights, Patient & Family Education, and Quality and Patient Safety.

“It was evident that their commitment to patients runs throughout every system and process implemented within the organization,” commented Steven A. Matarelli, PhD, RN, who lead the JCI survey team. “New benchmarks were set with regard to quality and patient safety in the region. We encourage Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to share these best practices internationally,” he said.

Adding to accolades

JCI’s Gold Seal of Approval® is the latest in a series of accreditations and certifications that Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has earned in 2016. It recently became the first and only hospital in the United Arab Emirates to receive the highest international award for healthcare information technology—HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Record Adoption ModelSM (EMRAMSM) Stage 7-certification—and the only one in the region to be accredited by Hospitality Assured, a standard for service and business excellence in the hospitality industry. Additionally, it won the People’s Choice Award for best large hospital in Abu Dhabi in Health Authority-Abu Dhabi’s debut JAWDA Awards.

Supporting a vision for the region

Developing a sustainable, world-class healthcare sector following international standards is part of Abu Dhabi’s larger vision for the Emirate. Hospital standards for the Emirate are in line with the Joint Commission International’s globally recognized benchmarks, and by 2020, only accredited healthcare providers will be allowed to operate in the UAE

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a physician-led medical facility served by North American/European Board Certified (or equivalent) physicians. The hospital provides patients in the region direct access to the world’s best healthcare providers and Cleveland Clinic’s unique model of care, reducing their need to travel abroad for treatment.

Part of Mubadala’s network of world-class healthcare providers, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is specifically designed to address a range of complex and critical care requirements unique to the Abu Dhabi population. In all, more than 30 medical and surgical specialties are represented.