June 2, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, AL — UAB Hospital and The Kirklin Clinic have received full accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) resulting from its visit in May. Surveyors will visit the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital later this summer.

UAB Hospital scored a 98 out of a possible 100 points and had no Type 1 recommendations. “This high score puts UAB Hospital in the top five percent of all hospitals in the nation,” says Mary Nash, RN, Ph.D., executive director of UAB Hospital. “It is a very significant accomplishment that demonstrates UAB’s commitment to the highest levels of quality and patient care.”

Surveyors called UAB a “major, high-tech hospital with the heart of a community hospital.”

The Kirklin Clinic also received full accreditation from the Joint Commission with a score of 92 and three Type 1 recommendations.

JCAHO evaluates and accredits nearly 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the nation. Its standards are among those followed most closely by hospitals. Participation in the accreditation process is voluntary, but eligibility for many federal funding programs requires JCAHO accreditation. The accreditation is effective for three years.