Lawrence General Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Health Care Equity Certification for excellence in its efforts to provide equitable care, treatment and services. This prestigious certification has only been given to 12 hospitals in the United States with Lawrence General as the first stand-alone hospital to receive it.
Lawrence General has demonstrated that it has established structures and processes in place to decrease health care disparities within its patient populations and to promote diversity, equity and inclusion for staff.
On Sept. 17, 2024, Lawrence General underwent a rigorous onsite review as part of its certification process. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with certification standards under the following domains:
• Leadership
• Collaboration
• Data collection
• Provision of care
• Performance improvement
“Health Care Equity Certification distinguishes those organizations that have made health care equity a strategic priority and those that collaborate with patients, families, caregivers and external organizations to help translate equitable health care into better health outcomes,” Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, The Joint Commission’s executive vice president of accreditation and certification operations and chief nursing officer, said. “We commend Lawrence General for using The Joint Commission’s certification process to promote that all its patient populations receive access to equitable care, treatment and services.”
“Our successful certification demonstrates our dedication to addressing and reducing health disparities, ensuring that every patient receives fair and inclusive care,” said Dr. Abha Agrawal, Lawrence General Hospital’s president and CEO. “We’re honored to be among the select group of 12 hospitals nationwide to receive this certification, a hallmark of our commitment to serving our community’s needs.”
Lawrence General’s Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing and Quality Officer Anthony Alley said the hospital is committed to ongoing excellence and has improved its practices because of the certification.
“We have implemented best practices in culturally competent care, enhanced data collection and analysis, and strengthened our policies to better meet the needs of diverse patient populations,” Alley said. “This achievement is not the end but a continued journey. We remain dedicated to furthering our efforts and maintaining the highest standards of health equity.”