Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital Gains Accreditation Renewal

SPRINGFIELD — Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, at Mercy Medical Center, has again been awarded accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). The three-year accreditation recognizes Weldon’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Program for Adults and Inpatient Rehabilitation Program for Children and Adolescents. Weldon has also gained accreditation for its Stroke Specialty Program, making it the only facility in Western Mass. to achieve the distinction of delivering this high level of quality stroke rehabilitation.

“The CARF accreditation serves to assure patients seeking treatment at Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital that our facility continues to meet internationally accepted standards for quality and accountability, and these standards emphasize an integrated and individualized approach to services and outcomes,” said Jill LeGates, MS, OTR/L, clinical manager at Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital. “This tremendous achievement also recognizes the entire Weldon staff, and members of the preparation work group, for their hard work and commitment to continuous quality improvement through the application of CARF standards.”

During the CARF accreditation process, a survey team comes on-site to determine how well the organization conforms to applicable standards by observing services, interviewing patients and their family members, and reviewing documentation. Members of the survey team are selected by matching their program or administrative expertise and relevant field experience with the organization’s programs and services. Following the on-site visit, the survey team submits its findings to CARF, where they are reviewed and a decision on accreditation is rendered.

“It’s also important to note that CARF surveyors were impressed by the staff and the quality of care they delivered, as evidenced by the surveyors’ interviews with current and former patients, as well as community sources,” said Legates.

“With the wide variety of options now available to health care consumers, accreditation serves as a useful indicator of quality services,” said William Bithoney, interim president and chief executive officer of the Sisters of Providence Health System. “Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital strives to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services designed to meet the needs of each individual, and the CARF accreditation provides confirmation of the success of that commitment.”