Specialty Hospital First in Texas to Earn Respiratory Failure Certification


Warm Springs Specialty Hospital of New Braunfels, Texas, a post-acute medical facility, has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Respiratory Failure Certification. The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care, according to the Joint Commission.

The hospital is the first in Texas to achieve the certification and establish itself as a center of excellence for ventilator weaning and management. To do so, the hospital underwent a rigorous review this month in which Joint Commission experts evaluated compliance with national disease-specific care standards, as well as with respiratory failure-specific requirements. They also assessed clinical practice guidelines and performance measures.

“This certification is evidence of the commitment the staff of Warm Springs Specialty Hospital of New Braunfels has made to always deliver quality care and a great patient experience,” says Anthony Misitano, president and chief executive officer, Post Acute Medical. “I commend them for taking on this voluntary challenge and elevating the standard of care for not only respiratory failure patients, but also the community they serve.”

“Thanks to the efforts of our leadership team, we have developed a program that is focused on the goal of liberating ventilator dependent patients and maximizing the quality of their lives,” says Shayne Goode, chief executive officer, Warm Springs Specialty Hospital of New Braunfels. “That emphasis has led to phenomenal outcomes for our patients with 88% being successfully weaned from their ventilator compared to the national average of 71%.”

Established in 2002 and awarded for a two-year period, The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification evaluates programs across the continuum of care and addresses three core areas:

  • Compliance with consensus-based national standards.
  • Effective use of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to manage and optimize care.
  • An organized approach to performance measurement and improvement activities.

“Warm Springs Specialty Hospital of New Braunfels has thoroughly demonstrated a high level of care for patients with respiratory failure,” says Wendi J. Roberts, RN, executive director, Certification Programs, the Joint Commission. “We commend the hospital for becoming a leader in respiratory failure care, potentially providing a higher standard of service for respiratory failure patients in its community.”