[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 14, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E353-E354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  MONTEREY BAY MEDICAL SURGERY CENTER FIRST EVER IN THE NATION TO BE 
                  ACCREDITED FOR OFFICE-BASED SURGERY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 13, 2001

  Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to brag a little. 
In fact, I rise today to brag a lot. Why? Because again my district is 
the site of cutting-edge advances in health care services and health 
care technology.
  On March 15, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare 
Organizations (JCAHO) will accredit the first office-based surgery 
practice in the nation. The Monterey Bay Medical Surgery Center and 
practice of Robert Mraule, D.D.S., M.D., and David Perrott, D.D.S., 
M.D., in Salinas, will be the first recipient of this standards-based 
accrediting process.
  The Monterey Bay Medical Surgery Center was awarded office-based 
accreditation following a thorough on-site evaluation. The practice was 
evaluated on its compliance with no less than 146 standards that 
address key patient safety and quality issues, such as patient care, 
staffing, customer service, improving care and improving health, and 
responsible leadership.
  The Monterey Bay Medical Surgery Center provides services for 
patients requiring surgical intervention, and care of oral and 
maxillofacial/cosmetic conditions. Digital radiography, anesthetic 
techniques and equipment, computerized patient education processes and 
electronic records are used there.
  More than 8.3 million surgeries were performed last year in an 
estimated 41,000 office-based surgery sites across the United States. 
Experts predict the number will surpass those performed in hospitals in 
another year or two. This trend bespeaks the critical need for 
standards-based practices, like those developed by JCAHO, in order to 
protect patients and ensure only the highest quality of care from any 
office-based surgery practice to which they avail themselves.
  As the nation's leading evaluator of safety and quality in healthcare 
organizations, JCAHO has more than 25 years' experience in promoting 
safe, high-quality care for patients seeking care at more than 40 types 
of outpatient settings. The office-based surgery standards were 
established specifically for single sites of care with up to four 
physicians, dentists or podiatrists.
  JCAHO evaluates and accredits nearly 19,000 health care organizations 
and programs in the United States. Accreditation is recognized 
nationwide as a symbol of quality

[[Page E354]]

that indicates that an organization meets certain performance 
standards. JCAHO has certainly chosen a good place to start its 
accreditation program of office-based surgery by starting in Salinas. 
Even more, it has chosen a solid model for others to follow in meeting 
the stringent JCAHO standards by choosing Drs. Mraule and Perrott. I 
congratulate them on their fine work and urge my colleagues to join me 
in acknowledging their contribution to health care services on the 
Central Coast of California.

                          ____________________