Northside Hospital-Forsyth Earns Gold

and Northside Hospital-Atlanta have earned the Gold Seal of Approval for health care quality. The Joint Commission awarded Northside the Disease-Specific Care Certification for pneumonia for a second time.

"Northside is proud of the continued commitment of our staff and physicians to offer high quality and compassionate care to our patients," said Skip Putnam, CEO of Northside Hospital-Forsyth and vice president of administration, Northside Hospital.

Northside Hospital-Cherokee was certified for the first time in 2010 and, together, the three hospitals remain the only Georgia hospitals, of nine in the nation, to receive certification in pneumonia care.

To earn this distinction, every two years a disease management program undergoes an extensive on-site evaluation by a team of Joint Commission reviewers. This evaluation included standards through an assessment of the hospital's pneumonia-care processes, the ability to evaluate and improve care within the organization, and interviews with patients and staff.

"We are honored, once again, to receive this certification from The Joint Commission," said Putnam.