PITTSFIELD — Sebasticook Valley Health recently received a Special Sentiment from the state that was recently presented by Rep. Stanley Short, of District 29, to SVH President and CEO/EMHS Senior Vice President Terri Vieira, who accepted the certificate with Board Chairman Michael Gallagher, Chief Medical Officer Robert Schlager, MD, and Director of Quality Sandi Delano, RN, according to a SVH press release.

“Thank you for recognizing SVH’s efforts to reach national quality standards,” said Vieira in the release. “Achieving quality excellence is an effort that every employee makes happen every day.”

Short commented on SVH’s “high quality delivery of care based on results from the Leapfrog hospital survey,” and complimented SVH for being the first hospital in Maine to be recognized four years in a row for quality excellence. After his presentation, Short toured the new inpatient wing with Vieira, Gallagher, Schlager and Delano.

SVH received this recognition four years in a row by The Leapfrog Group, a national organization that recognizes U.S. health care groups for safety, quality and customer value. The standards used by Leapfrog are consistent with measures used by The Joint Commission, National Quality Forum and Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services. SVH has been accredited by the Joint Commission since 2002, and in 2013, it was recognized by The Joint Commission as a top performer nationally in key quality measures.

Rep. Short is serving his first term in the House of Representatives, where he aims to bring jobs to the state and support Maine’s hardworking people.