Pair of State Mental Health Institutes Earn ‘Top Performer’ Recognition from The Joint Commission

Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute in Nashville and Western Mental Health Institute in Bolivar Honored by Award

NASHVILLE – Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute and Western Mental Health Institute have both been named “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures^®” by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States.

Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute, located in Nashville, and Western Mental Health Institute, located in Bolivar, were recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for inpatient psychiatric services. Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute and Western Mental Health Institute are two of 1,099 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures” for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance.

"We understand that what matters most to patients at Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute and Western Mental Health Institute is safe, effective care,” says E. Douglas Varney, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, which oversees the facilities. “That's why we have made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. We are proud that two of our state mental health institutes have received the distinction of being a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures.”

The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2012 calendar year. The list of Top Performer organizations represents 33 percent of all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals reporting accountability measure performance data for 2012.

“Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute’s goal is to provide the highest quality of care for our patients in a safe, therapeutic environment,” says Bob Micinski, CEO of Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute. “Our vision is to provide quality care and be recognized for excellence by professional agencies, the community, other health providers, and, most importantly, the patients we serve.”

“It is an honor for our hospital to be recognized as a national Top Performer by The Joint Commission,” says Roger Pursley, CEO of Western Mental Health Institute. “Our staff and leadership strive for excellence in what matters most with patient care and safety through the implementation of best practice guidelines. The credit for our success is a result of the efforts of our day-to-day frontline staff who provide the care and commitment to those we serve.”

Each of the hospitals named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures must: 1) achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; 2) achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there are at least 30 denominator cases; and 3) have at least one core measure set that has a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set all applicable individual accountability measures have a performance rate of 95 percent or above. A 95 percent score means a hospital provided an evidence-based practice 95 times out of 100 opportunities.

“Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute, Western Mental Health Institute, and all the Top Performer hospitals have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to quality improvement and they should be proud of their achievement,” says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president and CEO of The Joint Commission. “We have much to celebrate this year. Nearly half of our accredited hospitals have attained or nearly attained the Top Performer distinction. This truly shows that we are approaching a tipping point in hospital quality performance that will directly contribute to better health outcomes for patients.”

In addition to being included in The Joint Commission's “Improving America's Hospitals” annual report, which was released October 30, Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute and Western Mental Health Institute will be recognized on The Joint Commission's Quality Check website (www.gualitycheck.org). The Top Performer program will also be featured in the December issues of  The Joint Commission Perspectives and The Source.