St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma has earned continued accreditation of its physical, pain and stroke rehabilitation programs from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an independent accrediting organization.

Programs that earned three-year accreditation through October 2012 are:

• Inpatient physical rehabilitation programs for adults
• Inpatient physical rehabilitation programs for children and adolescents
• Inpatient stroke rehabilitation programs for adults
• Outpatient interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs for adults

Accreditation is the highest approval rating awarded by CARF. “This achievement is an indication of your organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served,” CARF President Brian Boon, Ph.D., stated in a letter to Claudia Lengenfelder, director of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services at St. Joseph. “Your services, personnel and documentation clearly indicate an established pattern of practice excellence.”

The medical center’s rehabilitation services are provided by physicians specializing in physical medicine, specially trained nurses, physical and occupational therapists, neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, case managers, and other health care professionals.

“We are very pleased to have received continued accreditation from CARF,” says Lengenfelder. “The quality of our programs reflects our dedication to providing the best care possible.”

Rehabilitation programs at St. Joseph Medical Center have longed been accredited by CARF. The re-accreditation process occurs every three years. CARF, established in 1966, establishes standards of excellence to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.