Accreditation
University Health Center Awarded Full Accreditation
April 2, 2013
The University of Georgia's Health Center was awarded the highest recognition for health care organizations, accreditation for all services. The three day unannounced survey on March 26 - 28 was conducted by the Joint Commission, the most prestigious health care accrediting body in the country. The review found the health center in full compliance with no recommendations for improvement.
"In my 27 years participating in the Joint Commission survey process, this is the first time we have not discovered any findings on the three days we've been here," stated veteran surveyor, McLain Garrett.
The University Health Center (UHC) voluntarily goes through the rigorous accreditation process to insure that University of Georgia students receive the highest quality health care. The Joint Commission surveyors conduct an unannounced visit every 18 - 36 months and the health center must complete a self-review annually. Only 19 out of 1,700 college health centers nationwide choose to go through the challenging Joint Commission accrediting process. UHC is the only college health center accredited by the Joint Commission in the state of Georgia, and has been fully accredited since 1989.
"The two surveyors covered every clinic in the Health Center and spoke to staff, patients, parents, and the leadership team, said Dr. Jean Chin, executive director of UHC. "To complete a three day survey of our entire operation without a single recommendation for improvement is extraordinary. It is a testament to our staff, our focus on continuous improvement, and our mission to deliver the highest quality care and services."
UHC is a unit of the Division of Student Affairs and is staffed by over 200 employees, including 17 physicians with board certification or board eligibility in internal medicine, family practice, sports medicine, psychiatry and gynecology. UHC features four primary care clinics and a variety of specialty care clinics including women's health, sports medicine, dermatology, allergy/travel medicine, vision care, dental care and physical therapy. Supporting services include pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology departments. Extensive Counseling and Psychiatric Services and Health Promotion departments complete the comprehensive health center, considered in the top tier in the country.
The Joint Commission Accreditation
The University Health Center is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's most prestigious accrediting board. The Joint Commission is a regulatory agency that sets standards on how health centers should operate, and inspects the facility regularly to ensure requirements are being met. Patient care and safety issues are very important to the University Health Center and are reviewed by the Joint Commission. If you have any concerns about safety or quality of care issues you are encouraged to contact the University Health Center administration at 706-542-8715. If the issues are not resolved you can contact the Joint Commission by phone at 1-800-994-6610 or by e-mail at [email protected]
SACS Accreditation
The University of Georgia is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur,Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404)679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of the University of Georgia. Direct all other queries about programs, services, or admissions directly to the University of Georgia, 706-542-3000.
There is a three-fold purpose for publishing the address and contact number of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This is done to enable interested constituents:
(1) To learn about the accreditation status of the University of Georgia;
(2) To file a third-party comment at the time of the University of Georgia's decennial review; or
(3) To file a third party complaint against the University of Georgia for alleged non-compliance with a standard of requirement of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
As indicated above, normal inquiries about the University of Georgia (such as admission requirements, financial aid, educational programs, etc.) should be directed to the University of Georgia, not to the Commission's office.
