Norwich - The William W. Backus Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals, the hospital announced last week.

The accreditation award recognizes the hospital’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards. Backus recently underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site survey. A team of Joint Commission surveyors evaluated it for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

“In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, Backus has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients,” Mark Pelletier, executive director of hospital programs, accreditation and certification services at The Joint Commission, said in a news release. “Accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend Backus for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital standards address important functions relating to the care of patients and the management of hospitals. The standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, providers, measurement experts and patients.

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.