American Health Partners today announced that 28 of its American Health Communities (AHC) skilled nursing facilities have received accreditation and earned the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission by meeting its rigorous performance standards for excellence in health care. The Gold Seal is only awarded to health care organizations who achieve the highest national benchmarks for patient safety and quality of care. The newly accredited nursing homes in Middle Tennessee include: AHC Cumberland in Nashville; AHC Vanco in Goodlettsville; AHC Bethesda in Cookeville; AHC Northside in Murfreesboro; AHC Mt. Juliet, and AHC Meadowbrook in Pulaski. The company's skilled nursing facility in Huntsville, Alabama, AHC Millennium, also earned Joint Commission accreditation. For a complete list of communities, please visit: AHCseniorcare.com/communities.

Each of these AHC communities underwent rigorous reviews of its practices by evaluators from The Joint Commission. Evaluators ensured that the skilled nursing facility met the highest quality standards in provision of care, treatment and services, as well as infection prevention and control, medication management and emergency procedures.

"We've always been proud of our teams' commitment to quality care, but it is even more gratifying when their accomplishments are recognized by a highly regarded independent organization like The Joint Commission," said Michael Bailey, CEO of American Health Partners. "This accreditation is important to our residents and their families because it lets them know they can trust AHC to deliver great care today and in the future."

The Joint Commission's standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, quality assurance professionals and patients. They are backed by scientific literature and expert consensus as effective means to help health care organizations measure, assess and maintain continuous quality improvement.

"As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission helps protect the public by working with health care organizations to identify opportunities to improve care and comply with its patient-centered performance standards," said Nina Monroe, vice president of quality and clinical operations for American Health Partners. "AHC's participation in this process shows our residents we are dedicated to quality and that they can count on us to deliver continuous improvements in patient care and safety."

Currently, fewer than 20% of skilled nursing communities in Tennessee have earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval. In addition, two AHC communities received Memory Care Certification, the only memory care facilities in Tennessee to earn this accreditation, and AHC WTTC became one of just three facilities statewide to earn a Post-Acute Care Certification.

"We have all faced a lot of challenges managing through the pandemic, and earning this prestigious accreditation from The Joint Commission gives us something to celebrate," said Greg Haynes, vice president of operations for AHC. "I am grateful to be part of the AHC family and to have our staff and nursing leaders recognized for their hard work and commitment to excellence."