CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrightStar Care, a national full-service home care franchise that provides both medical and non-medical care, has received The Joint Commission's Enterprise Champion for Quality award for 2013. The Joint Commission, a nationally recognized healthcare quality standards organization that also accredits hospitals and other health care systems, acknowledged BrightStar Care's efforts to promote high quality health care services by its franchises through Joint Commission accreditation.
The prestigious distinction is awarded to select franchisor organizations with a proven commitment to the highest level of quality and safety, and further sets BrightStar Care apart as a quality-focused care provider. BrightStar Care is one of the charter recipients of this award and the largest national home care franchise to achieve this distinction.
To keep in-home healthcare agencies performing to the highest possible standards, The Enterprise Champion for Quality award carries unique eligibility requirements. For example, in order to receive the award, the franchisor must demonstrate that at least 95 percent of their eligible franchises are accredited and in good standing. "With more than 250 BrightStar Care locations, this was a significant undertaking and represents a deep and abiding commitment to quality care at the highest level within our organization," remarked Sharon Roth Maguire, MS, RN, GNP-BC, Chief Clinical Quality Officer for BrightStar Care.
According to Roth Maguire, "The Enterprise Champion for Quality award further validates BrightStar Care's strong commitment to upholding the highest standards of care for clients. In today's highly competitive market of care providers, families should have an objective point of reference to help them choose the best agency to care for their loved ones. We have invested significant resources into upholding and exceeding the standards of care outlined by The Joint Commission. To be recognized for our efforts by this prestigious accrediting body is not only a great honor for us, but also should provide our clients with additional peace of mind that they are in the very best of hands."
Margherita C. Labson, RN, executive director, Home Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission, said that The Joint Commission's mission is 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. She added, "BrightStar Care is a terrific example of a national franchise system that is committed to these same values and strives to deliver care of the highest quality; we are excited to present them with this award."
To meet the stringent requirements of The Joint Commission, BrightStar Care created systems to ensure continuity of care across its franchise system. For example, the franchisor creates templates of policies and procedures, integrates The Joint Commission's standards into training materials and conducts regular "mock evaluations" to help franchisees uphold standards. BrightStar Care also provides seminars, conference calls and additional resources to franchise owners throughout the year to help them remain compliant with the standards.
About BrightStar Care
Based in Chicago, BrightStar Care is a national franchise with more than 250 locations that provide full-service staffing of medical and non-medical homecare to private clients from children to older adults within their homes, as well as supplemental staffing to healthcare organizations and corporate clients. Each of BrightStar's locations pursue Joint Commission accreditation, a nationally recognized measure of quality that is utilized throughout the healthcare industry. BrightStar Care's well-qualified, attentive caregivers provide peace of mind to clients and their families, providing a customized care plan to match clients with qualified, pre-screened caregivers that best suit their needs. BrightStar Care is one of the few home care providers that offer both medical and non-medical homecare, available to all clients 24/7. BrightStar Care uses the nationally known patient satisfaction survey company Press Ganey to measure client satisfaction and is proud that nine of 10 clients would recommend BrightStar to a friend. For more information on BrightStar Care please visit brightstarcare.com ; to find out more about BrightStar Franchising, visit http://www.brightstarfranchise.com/ "> www.brightstarfranchise.com .
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