Public Notice Regarding DNV-GL Healthcare Accreditation

Blessing Hospital has earned accreditation from DNV and certified by DNV for ISO 9001:20015 for quality. Accreditation is awarded following an extensive survey by DNV-GL Healthcare to evaluate the organization's compliance with U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Conditions of Participation for Hospitals as well as additional requirements for safety and quality.

DNV-GL requirements address organization quality, patient safety, and environment of care safety. If you have a concern about patient care and/or safety at Blessing Hospital, first contact the director of the patient care unit on which care is or was being received by the patient, or contact the Blessing Corporate Services Risk Management department at (217) 223-8400, ext. 6800.

If the concern cannot be resolved through the Hospital, contact:

DNV GL Healthcare
400 Techne Center Drive, Suite 100
Milford, OH 45150
Phone: (866) 496-9647
E-mail: hospitalcomplaint@dnvgl.com

Blessing Reaccredited as a National Chest Pain Center

Blessing has been reaccredited as a national Chest Pain Center, with additional recognition of its PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Interventions) capabilities by the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

The addition of PCI in the accreditation recognizes Blessing's performance of Cardiac Catheterization, more commonly known as angioplasty, which can quickly clear blockages to reduce the damage caused by a heart attack.

The Blessing Heart & Vascular Center has performed more than 1,000 PCIs since it opened in January 2004. The Hospital's "door to balloon time," the time between a patient arriving at Blessing, being diagnosed as needing Cardiac Catheterization, and receiving the life-saving treatment, is better than the national guideline of 90 minutes.

At this time, only nine hospitals in Illinois and 10 in Missouri hold Chest Pain Center with PCI accreditation, the closest are two hospitals in St. Louis, MO.

Blessing was first accredited as a Chest Pain Center from 2005-2008. The reaccreditation with PCI recognition covers the period 2009-2012.

Accreditation by the national Society of Chest Pain Centers means Blessing Hospital meets or exceeds quality-of-care measures in acute cardiac medicine. Blessing has demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing an on-site evaluation by a review team from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Key areas in which a Chest Pain Center must demonstrate expertise include:

  • Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system.
  • Assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients quickly.
  • Effectively treating patients with low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms.
  • Ensuring Chest Pain Center personnel competency and training.
  • Maintaining organizational structure and commitment.
  • Having a functional design that promotes optimal patient care.
  • Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack.
  • Continually seeking to improve processes and procedures.

Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission to be a Primary Stroke Center

Blessing Hospital earned this distinction after Joint Commission surveyors conducted an on-site review in February, following more than 10 months of data collection by a 15-member team of doctors, nurses, rehabilitation specialists and other healthcare providers.

An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is recognized internationally as the leader in evaluating the quality and safety of healthcare delivered by over 15,000 organizations across the country. The Joint Commission’s Primary Stroke Center Certification was developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. There are more than 600 certified primary stroke centers in 49 states.

Stroke involves interruption of blood flow to the brain. It is the nation’s third leading cause of death and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. Annually, Blessing Hospital provides care to some 300 stroke patients from around the region. Nationally, about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke each year.

  • Common stroke symptoms include:

  • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body,

  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding,

  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes,

  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination,

  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Accreditations and Affiliations

Blessing Hospital holds accreditation from all necessary and applicable federal and state agencies. Following are some of the accreditations, affiliations and memberships of which the Hospital is most proud to hold because they reflect upon the high quality of care offered by Blessing:

Accredited Programs and Services

  • Blessing Hospital

  • Society of Chest Pain Centers, National Chest Pain Center with additional recognition of PCI

  • Blessing Breast Center

  • The U.S. Food & Drug Administration

  • The American College of Radiology

  • Blessing Cancer Center

  • The College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer

  • The American College of Radiologic Technologists

  • Blessing Hospital Emergency Center

  • Level II Trauma Center, Illinois Department of Public Health

  • Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics, Illinois Department of Public Health

  • Laboratory Services - The College of American Pathologists

  • Radiology Services - The American College of Radiology

  • Rehabilitation Services - CARF International accreditation for inpatient rehabilitation services for adults, adolescents and children

  • Respiratory Services/Blessing Sleep Center - American Academy of Sleep Medicine

  • Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing

  • The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

  • State of Illinois Board of Nursing

  • State of Missouri Board of Nursing