HEALTH CARE

Seal of Approval: Regency Health Services Inc. in Newport Beach is doing its own celebrating.

The operator of rehabilitative and nursing homes said it has received accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations for two of its facilities.

While accreditation by the Chicago-based organization is voluntary, it is a feather in the cap of Regency Health Services because requirements for the seal of approval exceed those mandated by the federal and state governments.

Using a long, complicated checklist, the joint commission reviews hospitals and nursing centers before offering certification. The commission not only looks at the skills of the nurses and doctors employed by the center, it also checks for compliance with safety and sanitary standards. The process can take as long as six months.

Chief operating officer Tim Paulsen said that the honor gives a big boost to Regency Health Services’ marketing strategy because it means added assurance for patients and their families that they will receive superior care.

The two facilities cited are in Carmichael and Torrance. Paulsen said that 10 more of the company’s 35 nursing and rehabilitative centers are under review by the joint commission. The goal, Paulsen said, is to have all Regency facilities eventually bear the joint commission’s stamp.

“It’s a great benefit for us,” Paulsen said. “We feel it puts us a step ahead of our competition.”