First Choice Emergency Room Awarded Accreditation From The Joint Commission

By demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission‘ s national standards for health care quality and safety, First Choice Emergency Room has earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ and becomes the first free-standing emergency room system in the nation to receive this prestigious award.

"We sought accreditation for our organization because we want to demonstrate our commitment to our patient's safety and quality care," says Jack Novak, M.D. and CEO. "We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence. And we want to be the best emergency medical care provider."
"Our staff is very supportive of this process and worked extremely hard to pass the inspection November 2006," Novak added. "We are proud of our accomplishment and appreciate the educational aspect of the survey and the opportunity to interact with the Joint Commission."

"Accreditation by The Joint Commission sets First Choice Emergency Room apart," says Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. "Organizations awarded this Gold Seal of Approval™ dedicate themselves to continuous operational improvement."

As emergency medicine continues to change and more free standing facilities emerge, First Choice Emergency Room is setting the standard for all other free-standing emergency rooms to meet. The accreditation award recognizes First Choice Emergency Room's dedication to complying with the Joint Commission's state-of-the-art standards on a continuous basis and change how emergency medicine is delivered in the United States.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Since 1975, the Joint Commission has developed state-of-the-art standards for outpatient ambulatory care organizations.   For more information about the Joint Commission, visit their website at www.jcaho.org.

First Choice Emergency Room has nine free-standing emergency rooms in Texas. Three Dallas area facilities are located in Flower Mound, Frisco and Plano. Six Houston area facilities are located in Atascocita, Copperfield, The Woodlands, Spring, Pearland and Louetta. For location information, business hours and services provided, please visit their website at www.FirstChoiceER.com