Safety Above All Else
Safety Above All Else
In 2002 Focus Eye Centre was awarded ISO 9001 certification as part of a lengthy process during which the services Focus provides were scrutinized and eventually deemed to meet the exceptionally high targets of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) based in Geneva, Switzerland.
“ISO 9001 is about quality management,” says Jennifer Kearns, RN, Manager of Focus Eye. “It’s about showing that we have achieved a level of international excellence that guarantees patients access to a very safe environment where a very effective service is provided.”
According to the ISO, its standards “make the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner” while “safeguard[ing] consumers, and users in general, of products and services.”
ISO certification is an arduous process of analysis and testing that ensures a company is providing a superior service – and doing so in an environment that meets exceedingly high standards for safety, efficiency and cleanliness. “ISO 9001 certification wasn’t something Focus simply applied for one day and was awarded the next. No, we jumped through some seriously high hoops – and did so over a matter of many months – to make this a reality,” says Kearns. “And we have worked very hard to maintain our good standing among the ISO community.”
ISO 9001 has hundreds of technical committees, including ones that set standards for surgical instruments, sterilization of healthcare products, and quality management of medical devices.
“At Focus, we believe that providing an incredibly safe environment for patients isn’t the most we can do, it’s the least we can do,” says Kearns. “We try to go above and beyond in terms of the care we provide before, during and after a patient has LVC with us. After all, the people who come to Focus don’t just want their ‘eyes done’; they want the best possible care for their refractive procedure.”
For more information on ISO, its non-governmental work in 150+ countries, and the standards it sets, please see: www.iso.org.