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UC San Diego Health Successfully Completes Joint Commission Survey

This message was sent on behalf of Patty Maysent, Chief Executive Officer, to all employees of UC San Diego Health.

I am pleased to announce that we have successfully completed The Joint Commission's (TJC) triennial survey of UC San Diego Health. Surveyors spent five days thoroughly evaluating our locations using the Survey Analysis For Evaluating Risk (SAFER) methodology. The SAFER method measured our performance against advanced requirements for mitigating harm. Key elements of the survey included enhanced medical record reviews along with reviews of our data management, infection control, medication management, environment of care, emergency management, and credentialing and privileging.

The survey was conducted by a team of surveyors with extensive experience as caregivers and health care professionals, and they were routinely impressed with UC San Diego Health. Several of our plans and initiatives, including those for risk and assessment in outpatient senior behavioral health, were recommended for submission to TJC's best practices library.

Throughout their time at UC San Diego Health, surveyors remarked on the extraordinary work of team members. They commented on our many "beautiful and impressive spaces," but what each surveyor kept coming back to was our teams. Among their observations:

  • You have a lot of board-certified nurses, which is pretty amazing.
  • You have wonderful technology and some great innovations, but if the staff isn't right, the technology doesn't matter.
  • The collaboration among teams and the knowledge of the staff along with their engagement and their commitment to their patients was apparent in every department we visited.
  • It's not every day I learn something new as a surveyor, but your team members are so smart, and to learn from them was exciting.
  • The teams at UC San Diego Health are so engaged, and that's something you can't make up.

I am thankful for our teams and the work that you do each day to care for our patients. Your passion for your work, our patients, and UC San Diego Health was clearly evident during the site visit. You should be incredibly proud of the results, and I am sincerely grateful for the efforts of all those who contributed to this successful TJC triennial accreditation survey.