Landstuhl Regional Medical Center leaders recognized service members and civilian employees Oct. 28 for their contributions to the hospital’s successful Joint Commission survey during an awards ceremony at Heaton Auditorium.
The triennial survey evaluated hospital operations, patient safety practices and compliance with accreditation standards. The ceremony honored personnel whose preparation, teamwork, and attention to detail helped the medical center complete the evaluation successfully.
Col. Warren Stewart, LRMC commander, emphasized that the outcome reflected the efforts of the entire organization rather than any single department or clinic.
“We did an amazing job,” Stewart said. We set the tone, because we were transparent, friendly and because we were excited about the work we do.”
Stewart said surveyors were impressed by the cleanliness of the facility and the knowledge of the personnel they interviewed. He also praised junior enlisted service members for demonstrating professionalism and taking responsibility for their work.
“Most of the surveyors were retired military and were very impressed with the way the junior enlisted acted and took responsibility for sections,” Stewart said. “It took everyone working together to make this happen, from the facilities person making sure the hospital maintained and clean, to the personnel that take care of patients.”
Stewart then invited Kiesha Lee, LRMC TJC coordinator, to address the award recipients and thank the team for its work leading up to the survey.
Lee said initially she felt apprehensive about leading the preparation effort but relied on the knowledge and experience of personnel throughout the organization.
“When I first took this position, I was scared because this was the first time I would be serving as the led for a survey,” Lee said. “I was able to lean on the greatest asset of this organization, which is the knowledge of the people.”
During the eight months before the survey, the team conducted more than 100 survey-related activities. Lee said personnel across the medical center worked together to identify problems, make corrections, an strengthen compliance.
“That openness created an environment of trust, where they trusted me and my team and worked along side us to make the corrections,” Lee said. “We corrected all those deficiencies and, ended up with very few findings.”
Lee expressed appreciation for everyone who contributed to the preparation and survey process, noting the outcome reflected a collective effort.
“If I could recognize every single person who played a part in this survey, I would,” she said. “I’m truly grateful to each and every one that contributed in their own way, and it took all of us working together to accomplish what we did.”
The ceremony recognized two groups of 40 service members and civilian employees for their contributions. The first group received certificates of appreciation. The second group received additional recognition, with service members awarded the Army Achievement Medal and civilian employees receiving certificates of outstanding achievement.
Command Sgt. Maj. Omar Bond, LRMC’s senior enlisted advisor, also praised the team and reflected on his experience with a previous Joint Commission survey at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.
“You guys crushed this survey,” Bond said. “Three years ago, when I was at Tripler Army Medical Center, we went through a TJC survey that didn’t go as well we had hoped.”
Bond closed the ceremony by expressing pride in the team’s accomplishments and reminding personnel that the standards demonstrated during the survey must be maintained every day.
“Remember, every day is a TJC day,” Bond said. “We have to bring that same level of commitment, attention to detail and dedication to patient care every single day.”
Lee echoed that message, emphasizing that compliance and patient safety require continuous effort beyond the formal survey process.
The ceremony recognized the contributions of personnel across LRMC and reinforced the medical center’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality care for service members, families, military retirees and allied partners.