NATHAN LITTAUER RECEIVES NEW ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION Posted on July 29, 2019July 29, 2019 by Dakota PikeDr. Frederick Goldberg and Christine Waghorn, celebrate the new certification!Nathan Littauer has achieved certification to the new ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, reflecting the hospital’s long-term commitment to quality, transparency, and customer satisfaction.The certification is valid for three years and is provided by DNV GL – Business Assurance.ISO 9001 is the most widely used quality management standard, and has recently undergone a periodic update to better reflect modern business challenges. Last modified in 2008, the new 2015 version of ISO 9001 is the result of input from business and technical experts around the world. The program requires greater involvement of senior management, broader understanding of supply chains, and more focus on stakeholder (not just customer) expectations.Frederick Goldberg, M.D., Littauer’s Chief Medical Officer explained, “ISO 9001 can be a transformative tool for delivering quality healthcare. ISO 9001 can’t be delegated to a single manager or committee. It is a strategic approach recognized throughout our entire organization.” He added, “As the only local hospital with an ISO 9001 certification, I believe our hospital is transforming local healthcare. Additionally, the focus on continual improvement ensures that our focus on quality will endure for decades.”Christine D. Waghorn, Director of Performance Improvement at Littauer said she was ecstatic when she got the notification from DNV GL. She stated, “I agree with what is said in our industry about this designation: ‘ISO is quality on steroids.’” She added, “Nathan Littauer is continually improving our processes. It is a part of our culture. Our patients deserve that.”“We are extremely proud of our commitment to quality,” says Laurence E. Kelly, Nathan Littauer’s President and CEO. “Our ISO certification helps us continually move forward and, equally important, allows us to publicly communicate our dedication to excellence. It’s a symbol that everyone – our employees, our partners, our patients – recognizes and values.” About Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing HomeNathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is a full-service, 74 bed acute care hospital with an 84 bed skilled nursing home. Since 1894, Nathan Littauer has provided safe, high-quality health and wellness services with a focus on securing appropriate new technologies for people residing in Upstate New York. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its services to offer healthcare that is comprehensive, accessible, and relevant to the needs of the communities we serve. More information can be found by visiting www.nlh.org. About DNV GL – Business AssuranceDNV GL – Business Assurance is part of the DNV GL Group, a world-leading certification body helping businesses assure the performance of their organizations, products, people, facilities and supply chains through certification, verification, assessment, and training services.For more information about DNV GL – Business Assurance, visit www.dnvglcert.com.
Littauer certified to ISO 9001 Quality Management System by DNV GL Posted on February 8, 2018 by Dakota PikeLittauer Director of Performance Improvement, Christine WaghirnGLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (February 6, 2018) – Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home has been awarded by DNV GL – Healthcare full certification to the ISO 9001 Quality Management System. Littauer is dedicated to providing the safest and most effective healthcare services possible,” says Christine Waghorn, Littauer Director of Performance Improvement. “ISO certification not only reflects that mission, but helps to empower it. The certificate is not just a piece of paper, but the effort required to achieve it fundamentally transforms the way we do business. ISO 9001 is ideally suited to the complex, people-intensive challenges of running a hospital.” ISO 9001 is the most widely-accepted quality management system in use around the world, and is quickly gaining acceptance among US healthcare providers as a foundation for their quality and patient safety programs. “Littauer has worked hard to achieve this certification, and they have done so with unwavering commitment from their top leadership to make their hospital the best it can be,” says Patrick Horine, President of DNV – GL Healthcare. “ISO certification isn’t just an award or trophy for something you’ve done, it’s public evidence that you are at the top of your game with an obvious plan in place to make excellence an every day objective.” ISO 9001 brings science to the art of caregiving; it helps to standardize processes around things that are proven to work, by the people doing the work, thus empowering frontline workers while creating an environment of predictability for the entire organization. The ultimate impact of ISO within hospitals is the reduction or elimination of variation, so that critical work processes are done consistently and the “best ideas” aren’t held by one person or one department, but are ingrained in the organization itself. Businesses that implement ISO do so for both the internal and external benefits. Internally it helps staff create clear and consistent processes of patient care, and ensure that progress is constantly being made toward specific quality objectives. Externally, it tells the public, as well as insurers and regulatory agencies, that the hospital is not only talking about quality, but is pursuing it with discipline and transparency. “ISO 9001 is like sheet music for an orchestra; it gets everyone on the same page and helps us achieve our objectives,” says Waghorn. “We are honored to accept the DNV certificate of accreditation on behalf of Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home. This is not a certification that can be achieved by a single person or department; rather, it takes the effort of an entire workforce. This certification truly symbolizes our commitment to a culture of safety and quality.” About DNV GLDNV GL Healthcare, with offices in Cincinnati and Houston, is a division of DNV GL – Business Assurance, part of the DNV GL Group, an independent foundation dedicated to safeguarding life, property and the environment. Globally, DNV GL – Business Assurance has more than 100 offices and is one of the world’s leading certification, assessment and training companies. For more information about DNV hospital accreditation, visit www.dnvglhealthcare.com.About Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing HomeNathan Littauer Hospital and Family of Health Services serves Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton counties in upstate New York with a full-service, 84-bed acute care hospital, 10 primary care centers, a nursing home and a community education center. The hospital was founded in 1894 and has nearly 1,000 employees. Littauer’s medical staff provides well over 130,000 patient encounters each year. For more information, please visit www.nlh.org.
