Quality Commitment

1. We are committed to making patient health and well-being paramount priorities in our organization's management. We also are committed to a philosophy of management that stimulates continuous quality improvement through the establishment of uniform quality measures, the creation of annual quality improvement goals, and the identification and use of clinical "best practices" in an effort to achieve appropriate patient outcomes.

2. We are committed to continuing to disclose information on quality to patients, employees, and the public, and we will assist them in accessing this information in a timely manner, while protecting confidentiality and complying with other legal requirements.

3. We are committed to clearly articulating and honoring patient and family rights, and working to ensure that our employees understand and uphold those rights.

4. We are committed to enhancing the human potential of our employees through education and training programs that strive to improve the quality of care delivered, and we are committed to sensitizing our staff to the special needs of frail and vulnerable patients.

5. We are committed to seeking the input of consumers as we work to improve quality, and we will work with others - in the private and public sectors - to identify, understand, and, ultimately, to resolve concerns associated with care practices or patient outcomes.

6. We are committed to developing and implementing organization-specific programs that promote ethical and lawful conduct, and we will lead in the development of responsible laws, regulations, and other standards supporting the quality of care in the facilities we manage.

7. As providers of care to a unique patient population that is funded in large part by government programs, we are committed to acting as responsible stewards of scarce financial resources. We also recognize our responsibility to serve as champions for public financing levels that will support improved quality and enhanced staffing.