Sutter Gould Receives 3-Year Accreditation from the IMQ
January 17, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MODESTO – Sutter Gould Medical Foundation (SGMF) announced that it has received a three-year accreditation from the Institute for Medical Quality (IMQ), a leading California healthcare quality accrediting organization.
SGMF has received previous three-year accreditations from the Medical Quality Commission in 1997 and from the IMQ in 2000 and 2004.
“We are extremely pleased to receive this endorsement from the Institute for Medical Quality,” said James Conforti, chief executive officer at SGMF. “It validates our efforts to provide residents in Stanislaus and San Joaquin County with quality health care services.”
SGMF has implemented many facility and service improvements in the last few years. Recent activities include the opening of a new medical office building and imaging center in Stockton, the addition of physicians and care centers in Lodi and Tracy, and plans for an updated medical office building at the 600 Coffee Road site.
Physician services have grown as well. There are now over 200 Gould Medical Group physicians providing primary care and specialty services to SGMF patients in 18 care center locations.
SGMF has utilized technological advancements to improve the delivery of care. They have fully implemented an electronic medical record system, and recently upgraded imaging equipment to utilize the latest 64-slice CT scanner capability. PACS, a filmless picture archiving and communications system, allows Gould radiologists to share digital images and diagnoses electronically between locations. SGMF is currently piloting a new service, mySutteronline, that allows patients to access portions of their medical records online via a secure Internet connection.
“Our physicians and staff are committed to our mission and work each day to improve our processes, procedures and customer service to give our patients the health care they need and deserve,” said Conforti. “mySutteronline is an example of a tool that will help patients become more involved in
maintaining a healthy lifestyle.” The pilot program is nearing completion and a rollout to additional SGMF patients is expected this fall.
IMQ's ambulatory program is commissioned by the Medical Board of California to conduct accreditation surveys. The surveys cover all facets of the medical foundation’s operations and are conducted by independent physicians who practice in ambulatory settings in California.
Sutter Gould Medical Foundation is part of the not-for-profit, Sacramento-based Sutter Health system. Sutter Health’s San Joaquin Valley affiliates include Memorial Medical Center in Modesto, Sutter Tracy Community Hospital and Memorial Hospital Los Banos. SGMF has 18 care centers located throughout Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, providing primary and specialty care for area residents.
For more information about SGMF, visit www.suttergould.org.
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