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Endorsement Validates Dramatic Improvements in City’s Only Hospital East of the Anacostia River
Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember David Catania (At-Large) congratulated the management and staff of United Medical Center (UMC) in the District of Columbia for regaining the hospital’s national accreditation. Special Hospitals of America, the parent company of UMC, was notified by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (“Joint Commission”) that the hospital satisfied the conditions for certification during a 4-day inspection last December. UMC lost its accreditation during a survey under its previous ownership in October 2007. Shortly afterwards, SHA purchased UMC with assistance of the District Government in November 2007.
“Just over 12 months ago, the notion that UMC would be reaccredited in a year seemed unlikely at best, impossible at worst,” said Catania. “The doctors, nurses, and staff of UMC are to be commended for the phenomenal progress they have made. Regaining Joint Commission accreditation is welcome news to the many people who have put forth enormous effort to improve the quality of healthcare offered east of the river.”
“We are grateful to the District Government for the support they have provided to our hospital,” said United Medical Center CEO Frank DeLisi. “We understand that they were taking a risk in rebuilding this facility, and by receiving our accreditation, we have shown that it was a risk worth taking. The accreditation also proves that UMC is a reliable and safe hospital that is dedicated to helping our patients.”
After years of steady decline, UMC (formerly called Greater Southeast Community Hospital) was downgraded to provisional status by the Joint Commission in June 2007. This change prompted a re-inspection in October 2007, which resulted in the loss of accreditation shortly thereafter.
On October 23, 2007, the Council approved a public/private partnership between the District and Specialty Hospitals of America, Inc. (SHA) to provide $79 million in grants and loans to assist the sale of the hospital to SHA. That sale occurred on November 7, 2007. Since that time, the hospital’s staff has worked relentlessly to add services, replace equipment, and hire physicians.
“The hospital would be closed today if the Council and Mayor had not taken action in October 2007,” said Catania. “Instead, United Medical Center is rapidly becoming a top-notch health care institution.”
Catania added that Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago recently declared bankruptcy. Michael Reese is owned by Envision Hospital Corporation, which owned Greater Southeast Community Hospital until it was sold to SHA.
“Over the past year, the District and SHA have worked hard to reverse the course that this hospital, similar to others owned by Envision, was on,” he added.
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