HealthEast Kidney Stone Institute Creates Standard of Excellence for Stone Care

ST. PAUL, MN--(Marketwired - Sep 10, 2013) - The HealthEast® Kidney Stone Institute is proud to announce its first-in-the-nation certification by the Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care program. This is first time The Joint Commission has awarded certification for disease specific care for kidney stone disease. 

To earn The Joint Commission certification, programs must demonstrate a systematic approach to care delivery and a commitment to performance improvement through ongoing data collection and analysis.

"Our pursuit of this novel certification demonstrates, to our patients and community, our commitment to subject our care processes to the scrutiny of outside expert review," said Andrew Portis, MD, Chair and Medical Director of HealthEast Kidney Stone Institute. "The achievement and maintenance of certification requires consistent, externally audited, dedication to ensure our systems put our patients first -- now and in the future."

Patient-centered care at the Kidney Stone Institute means:

• Optimizing patient experience and minimizing life interruptions. Having a stone should not mean losing a month (or more) of your life.
• Individualized strategies to keep you at work and out of emergency or operating rooms
• Ensuring that surgical procedures, when necessary, are safe, effective and efficient.
• Supporting self-management and education as the best strategy for lifetime prevention.

Efforts to create the initial pathway for certification were supported by an educational grant from Boston Scientific, the market leader in the endoscopic treatment of kidney stones.

"We applaud HealthEast for its diligence in working toward setting a new standard for urological care," said Michael Phalen, president, Medical Surgery, Boston Scientific. "Given the growing prevalence of stone disease in this country, we believe other stone treatment centers across America may seek this prestigious designation from The Joint Commission, particularly as they position themselves for the emerging world of accountable care."

Kidney stones can strike like lightning with unanticipated disabling impact. To care for this population, HealthEast Kidney Stone Institute created unique infrastructure to respond just as rapidly. In 2011, HealthEast KSI's innovative care for outpatient management was recognized with awards from Medica and HealthPartners for enhancing patient satisfaction while adding value by decreasing unnecessary care. Similar strategies, consistently delivered, are the backbone of the nation's first Joint Commission certified kidney stone disease program.

Joint Commission accreditation means an organization complies with the highest national standards for safety and quality of care and is committed to continually improving patient care. The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and evaluation body in health care.

For more information on HealthEast Kidney Stone Institute call: 651-326-3830 or visit: www.healtheast.org

HealthEast Care System is a community-focused, non-profit health care organization that provides innovative technology, compassionate care and a full spectrum of family health services. HealthEast includes Bethesda Hospital, St. John's Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, and Woodwinds Health Campus as well as outpatient services, clinics, home care and medical transportation services. Practicing financial responsibility, HealthEast is the largest, locally-owned health care organization in the Twin Cities' East Metro with 7,300 employees, 1,200 volunteers and 1,400 physicians on staff.