Kunsan Med Hawks become TJC certified Published Jan. 24, 2023 By Staff Sgt. Sadie Colbert 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- After receiving a “fine-tooth comb” inspection last October, the 8th Medical Group has earned The Joint Commission (TJC) accreditation, a national certification bestowed on healthcare organizations for their outstanding process performance and patient care this January. The TJC exam is a neutral body civilian hospitals hire to evaluate them and see if they're meeting the highest standards of medical practice, manage infections, maintain high-quality safety of their surgical equipment and meet the TJC standards in place. “[The MDG] is like the maintenance group for the humans. We ensure all the humans on the base are taken care of by sharpening their human weapons system, guaranteeing they are good to go,” said Dr. (Lt. Col.) Travis “Stitches” Stephensen, 8th MDG chief of medical staff. Stephensen explained how some people believe they’re not getting as good of care in the military system here as in the civilian system stateside, but this test proved their clinic rivals those across America. “They inspect hospitals from the top to the bottom and certify our practices,” Stephensen said. “It can give our beneficiaries a peace of mind and know they’re receiving care from a good clinic. We’re small but what we’re providing is very high quality.” Examples of what the TJC evaluates during the inspection include safety procedures, equipment quality, patient care, training levels and records for all doctors, nurses and technicians. “All staff played an important role during the survey because the tracer methodology, which focuses on direct care of the patient,” said Huichong No, 8th MDG quality, medical staff and risk manager. “Their involvement in the process was vital to the success of this survey.” With the 8th MDG’s high-quality care, service members can address any medical concerns, receive treatment and stay mission ready. “I'm extremely proud of [the MDG],” Stephensen said. “I think it shows that when everybody transitioned here they took their jobs seriously, worked very hard to mold their experience to Kunsan’s operations tempo and made sure that they met the standards.” Congratulations to the 8th MDG! If service members would like to receive TJC certified care, they can schedule an appointment by calling DSN: 782-2273.