The operations of St Joseph Mercy Hospital (SJMH) and Mercy Resident Care were yesterday awarded the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 9001:2015 certification.
At a ceremony held in the hospital’s compound at Parade Street, Kingston, Georgetown, it was disclosed that the medical institution had been pursuing certification since 2019.
Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Enoch Gaskin, yesterday said that the certification is an illustration of their commitment to continue providing a standard service to all.
He said that the hospital’s team which included members of the board, management and health staff, have worked over the past two years to ensure continuous quality service and care were delivered to patients as outlined in their mission statement.
With the certification, Gaskin said, it is their desire for services, procedures and practices provided to the public, to remain consistent.
“With documentation that is subject to independent audit, clients can be assured that the care provided them conforms to the best standard in the industry. Further, our employees are assured that they will be properly trained and certified to perform the tasks required of them. Embracing international quality standards therefore is a win-win for both the client and the institution,” he underscored.
The CEO added that new customers seeking treatment at the hospital no longer have to rely on anecdotal evidence of the quality of services offered as their decision can be guided by the fact that they are internationally certified.
He went on to state that with the pandemic bombarding the health sector, they have strengthened processes and procedures and the certification adds to their commitment to ensuring service is provide in a safe environment.
“This ceremony that we are here to witness is indeed auspicious. 76 years after our establishment, we are recommitting to the purpose of our mission. The provision of quality medical care. The attainment of the ISO 9001:2015 quality certification therefore announces that the SJMH is totally committed to the standardisation and documentation of what we do; the training and certification of our staff and continuously improving our services. This is quality!” he declared.
Candelle Bostwick, Chief Executive Officer of Global Compliance Service (GCS), the local company authorised by the ISO certification body, said the certification is timely as companies in the oil and gas sector that have already established a presence here as well as others looking to invest, are seeking a quality of service that they are accustomed to. The certification, she said, will give the health institution that recognition.
“With investors coming to Guyana, they require a level of service that they are accustomed to or rely upon. The ISO 9001 standard is one that is based on providing accurate, reliable and consistent service to the customers,” she said.
She informed that while the certificate is valid for three years there will be annual inspections to ensure the hospital and its geriatric care facility remain consistent in their delivery of service.
According to GCS, companies certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard have established a Quality Management System (QMS), which provides a framework for the delivery of consistent quality products and services as defined within its scope of certification.
The ISO 9001, they said, is the internationally recognised standard for a QMS that was developed and published by the ISO. This certification provides a model for companies of all types and sizes to improve internal systems, build quality management systems and operate effectively at different levels, including the ability to focus on customer requirements and constantly find ways to become resilient and sustainable.
This standard is based on seven quality management principles which highlight having a strong customer focus, involvement of high-level company management, employee engagement, evidence-based decision-making, an outlined process-based approach, relationship management and ongoing improvement of business operations.
