BRIDGTON – Bridgton Hospital has achieved the gold seal of approval for health-care quality hospital accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

The accreditation means Bridgton Hospital has demonstrated compliance with national standards for patient safety and quality of care.

“Bridgton Hospital seeks accreditation because we want to demonstrate to our patients that we are committed to safety and quality care,” said John Carlson, president and chief executive officer. “We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence.”

The award of accreditation is for the three-year period ending in May 2006.

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations evaluates and accredits nearly 17,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including approximately 9,000 hospitals and home care organizations, and 8,000 other health-care organizations that provide long-term care, assisted living, behavioral health care, laboratory and ambulatory care services.

An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.