Morton Center Raising Health Care Bar in Tulsa
MORTON ACCREDITATION TEAM: From left are Lillian Watts-Ray, Morton Board Chair; Dr. Michael Opong-Kusi, medical director for Morton and Robert Sanders, Morton CEO. Working together along with the Morton medical staff, they have achieved Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval standards for accreditation marking a major milestone for Morton Comprehensive Health Services, one of Tulsa’s oldest health care providers.
Courtesy of Morton Comprehensive Health Services
Evidence that Vision2025 funds invested in Morton Comprehensive Health Services are paying big dividends came in July when CEO Robert Sanders announced at a press conference that North Tulsa’s primary health care provider has achieved Joint Commission accreditation status. Successfully meeting the Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval standards for accreditation marks a major milestone for one of the city’s oldest health care institutions and means on-going quality health care for the community. Morton is only the second Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in the state to achieve the prestigious accreditation.
The recently finished 50,000 square-foot state-of-the-art health care facility located at 1334 N. Lansing replaced their previous location of 71 years and was one of the first Vision2025 projects to be completed at a cost of $14 million. The new building enabled Morton to consolidate procedures and expand existing medical, dental, behavioral, and preventive health services plus optometry under one roof. It also played a role in obtaining the premier accreditation status.
According to Sanders, “The new building has provided many more logistical opportunities for us to expand and improve our operations. That along with the hard work and dedication of the Morton staff and the support of our board has brought about this accomplishment. The bottom line is we are better than ever and this accreditation is the evidence.”
Attending the press conference was Mayor Kathy Taylor who congratulated Morton’s staff and board on behalf of the city for achieving the preeminent status of Joint Commission accreditation.
Mayor Kathy Taylor commented, “Morton Health Center is a key Vision2025 project and a crucial health care service for a historically underserved area. This new facility has more space and flexibility to ensure that all patients, regardless of ability to pay, have easy access to health care services, and the accreditation is an important tribute to that.”
Joint Commission accreditation compliance involves a rigorous process of assessing all aspects of the delivery systems and procedures of a health care provider. It defines where and to what extent improvements should be made to achieve the proven, high standards for safe, cost efficient treatment and services established by the Joint Commission.
“The end game of the process is to revamp and fine tune systems and procedures to optimize all services provided to our clientele,” adds Sanders.
Strengthening community confidence, increasing acceptance by insurers and third party payers, better fulfillment of regulatory requirements and significant improvements in risk management are some of the benefits derived from meeting the standard. And it is a continuing process monitored by the Joint Commission through unannounced and unscheduled visits to review all accreditation criteria for on-going compliance. It is a process designed to reach and maintain high-level health care services.
Morton Board President Lillian Watts-Ray puts the accreditation accomplishment in the broader context of the North Tulsa community. “Morton has become a symbol for this community’s commitment to positively address essential service needs and quality of life for all who live in this part of the city. The Joint Commission accreditation proves we are making progress,” says Watts-Ray.
The history of Morton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. dates back to 1921, when the Red Cross opened Maurice Willows Hospital in North Tulsa. Since that time Morton has gone through many changes, including their name. In 1941 they became Moton Memorial Hospital, named in honor of Robert Russa Moton who was an educator and former president of Tuskegee Institute. In 1983 the center’s name was changed to Morton in honor of W.A. Morton, M.D., a prominent African American physician with a distinguished record of service at Moton Memorial Hospital. In 2006 they moved into the recently completed facility located at 1334 N. Lansing Ave.
Achieving Joint Commission accreditation has been a goal of Sanders since he came to Tulsa in 2005 to head up Morton. “From day one the staff and the board were excited about the goal of obtaining this accreditation and never looked back. It has taken a high level of commitment and determination by everyone to get here and it will take that going forward to maintain this status.”
Dr. Michael Opong-Kusi who heads up the medical staff agrees: “Getting to this level of quality care and maintaining it takes teamwork and focus by competent, dedicated healthcare professionals and that is what we have here at Morton. I’m very proud of our staff.”
Morton’s ongoing commitment to make quality health care available and affordable to everyone is apparent in outlying clinics strategically located to address much-needed healthcare. In addition to the facility on Lansing, Morton has three satellite offices, the East Tulsa Family Health Center at 11520 E. 21 St., the Mid-town Family Health Center at 102 N. Denver and the Nowata Family Health Center.
Sanders concludes, “Because of the Joint Commission accreditation we are in the process of forming partnerships within the city to expand and enhance healthcare access throughout the community and the region.”
Updated 08-05-2008
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