Barlow Respiratory Hospital (Los Angeles) has been awarded the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Respiratory Failure Certification.

The certification is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. Barlow is the first health care organization in California to achieve this certification from The Joint Commission, according to an organization press release.

Barlow Respiratory Hospital underwent a rigorous on-site review in March 2016. Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with national disease-specific care standards as well as with respiratory failure-specific requirements. Clinical practice guidelines and performance measures also were assessed.

“Barlow Respiratory Hospital is pleased to receive Disease-Specific Care Certification from The Joint Commission, known as the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation,” said Amit Mohan, CEO, Barlow Respiratory Hospital. “This certification provides us with the framework to continue to build upon our culture of excellence in service to our community.”

Barlow’s physician-led multi-disciplinary teams include board certified pulmonologists and internists, registered nurses, licensed social workers, physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, case managers, dietitians and respiratory therapists. The hospital’s historic main campus is in Los Angeles and operates two satellite facilities, in Van Nuys and Whittier, California.

The hospital’s ventilator weaning TIPS Protocol has proven to be so successful in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation that doctors from the finest hospitals in Los Angeles regularly refer their patients to Barlow Respiratory Hospital for post-ICU (Intensive Care Unit) treatment. Barlow Respiratory Hospital specializes in treating medically complex patients with a constellation of complicated medical conditions. Weaning patients from the ventilator so they can breathe on their own again is central to the hospital’s mission and has helped patients regain the life they once knew.

“Barlow Respiratory Hospital has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients with respiratory failure,” said Wendi J. Roberts, RN, executive director, Certification Programs, The Joint Commission. “We commend Barlow for becoming a leader in respiratory care, providing a high standard of service for patients in its community.”

The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification, established in 2002 and awarded for a two-year period, evaluates clinical programs across the continuum of care and addresses three core areas:

  • ?Compliance with consensus-based national standards;
  • ?Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care; and
  • ?An organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.