Milwaukee, Wis. - Aurora Health Care Ventures has been granted three-year accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care Inc. for Aurora Pharmacy and a health-oriented retail store.

The accreditation applies to Aurora's 130 retail pharmacies, Aurora's institutional pharmacy and the For Your Well Being retail store inside Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee. The accreditation acknowledges Aurora caregivers' adherence to quality standards for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and medical supplies furnished for home use.

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care, a private, not-for-profit corporation certified to ISO 9001:2000 standards, was developed by home care and community-based providers to help organizations improve business operations and quality of patient care.

"The survey process leads an organization to continually examine its policies and practices to clarify its strengths and improve its weaknesses," Commission President Tom Cesar said about the value of accreditation.

Accreditation is a voluntary activity through which health care organizations' internal policies, processes and patient care delivery are peer-reviewed against national standards. By attaining accreditation, Aurora has demonstrated its commitment to maintain a higher level of competency and to strive for excellence in its products, services and customer satisfaction.

"We are very proud of this accreditation as it recognizes Aurora is providing the best care possible to our patients and ensuring that they are able to easily access quality products and services," said Sue Buettner, senior vice president of ventures and administrative services. "Our pharmacies and retail store are essential components in our integrated approach to meeting the needs of all patients."

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve the quality of health care. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin.

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Contact: Linda Steiner
414-647-3348
linda.steiner@aurora.org