by Mindy Aguon

Guam - While the Guam Memorial Hospital is working to correct the deficiencies at the Skilled Nursing Unit, the Joint Commission conducted a follow-up survey at the hospital last Friday resulting in some much needed good news: JCO has restored the hospital's full accreditation status.

Several months ago the hospital's status was changed from full accreditation to accreditation with a follow-up survey. The Joint Commission cited GMH for recurring trends and patterns as far as the practice in medication management, provision and care treatment and services. As a result of the change in status, GMH must successfully address the identified problem areas in an evidence of standards compliance submission.

Interim hospital administrator Rey Vega says one surveyor arrived unexpectedly on Friday and conducted a three- to four-hour revisit survey, with Vega saying, "The accreditation panel on Joint Commission have determined that we don't meet that accreditation with follow-up survey anymore and effective March 10 their granting us full accreditation and I'd like to thank the staff for doing a good job."

The hospital was granted accreditation in May 2010 and lasts for three years.