GE Healthcare's National Network of Radiopharmacies Receives Joint Commission Accreditation

GE Healthcare's National Network of Radiopharmacies Receives Joint Commission Accreditation

PRINCETON, New Jersey--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GE Healthcare Life Sciences today announced that its Radiopharmacy Services division has earned The Gold Seal of Approval™ by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for healthcare quality and safety.¹ GE Healthcare's national network of 31 Radiopharmacies are accredited as part of The Joint Commission's Home Care Accreditation program. GE Healthcare is now among a select group of accredited organizations offering pharmacy dispensing services and achievement of this milestone recognizes the Company's dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission's standards.

"By achieving The Joint Commission's accreditation, we have demonstrated compliance in all areas of operation including compounding, dispensing, medication management, environment, health and safety," said Rich DeVeau, General Manager, Pharmacy Operations, GE Healthcare Life Sciences. "Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence. Achieving and maintaining these compliance standards are a priority at GE Healthcare pharmacies and is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the services we provide."

To achieve Joint Commission accreditation, GE Healthcare's Radiopharmacy Services underwent a series of rigorous system-wide on-site surveys across its 31 sites. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors subsequently evaluated GE Healthcare for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, and medication management. GE Healthcare's Radiopharmacy Services dispense unit dose radiopharmaceuticals in a clean room environment constructed to comply with both USP <797> and ISO 14644-1 standards. GE Healthcare utilizes a quality assurance program and specifications for testing to routinely monitor clean room environment and personnel to assure that compounded sterile products are prepared in accordance with USP <797> standards.

"In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, GE Healthcare has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients," says Margherita Labson, R.N., Executive Director, Home Care Accreditation, The Joint Commission. "Accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend GE Healthcare for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves."

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services to meet the demand for increased access, enhanced quality and more affordable healthcare around the world. GE (NYS: GE) works on things that matter - great people and technologies taking on tough challenges. From medical imaging, software & IT, patient monitoring and diagnostics to drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and performance improvement solutions, GE Healthcare helps medical professionals deliver great healthcare to their patients.

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About The Joint Commission

Established in 1988, The Joint Commission's Home Care Accreditation Program accredits more than 5,600 organizations. The Joint Commission's standards address the home care organization's performance in specific areas, and specify requirements to ensure that patient care and services are provided in a safe manner. The Joint Commission develops its standards in consultation with health care experts, providers and researchers, as well as measurement experts, purchasers and consumers.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 10,600 hospitals and home care organizations, and more than 6,600 other health care organizations that provide long term care, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services. The Joint Commission also certifies more than 2,400 disease-specific care programs such as stroke, heart failure, joint replacement and stroke rehabilitation, and 400 health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

¹ Joint National Commission - available at http://www.qualitycheck.org/consumer/searchresults.aspx?nm=535863&ddstatelist=&st_nm=-1&st=

GE Healthcare
Scott Lerman
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