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44 45 staff, and have interns come here to learn in our institutions. Erasmus Medical School in Rotter- dam is another partnership we foster.Within the kingdom, we have many opportunities to work together, and we take advantage of that to give our patients the best service possible.” Just the thought of what can be accomplished when this amazing new facility opens, sends out positive vibes for the future of healthcare in the St. Maarten region. Van Putten shares the excitement, “We want to maintain the amount of service we have close to home, so people don’t have to travel to far locations for the medical care they need. It saves money for them, and gives a sense of security because it’s a location and environment they’re used to. For example, Anguilla is just 20 minutes away. For many people, that’s an important point to look forward to.” Van der Horst adds, “We’re really looking forward to the new facility, because there’s so much needed and we’re going to triple our square meters. Added to that, when the facility is operational, we’re going to request JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation. The process takes a couple years, so we’re preparing for that now, during construction. Then, once the building is in operation for a year, we can ask for accreditation.” JCI Accreditation is an internationally accept- ed evaluation model with the highest recogni- tion. It performs independent assessment audits to determine whether health institutions meet SINT MAARTEN MEDICAL CENTER Total Cleaning was founded in January 1997 by Eugene and Jacqueline James to provide quality cleaning services to our clientele. Building upon our shared knowledge, expertise and passion for customer service and hospitality, this established the company’s business philosophy of providing “Quality over Quantity.” Total Cleaning’s range of cleaning services includes: janitorial, pressure washing, carpet cleaning, commercial facility cleaning, painting, and mega-yacht cleaning services. We are proud to be an active partner in the daily operations of the St. Maarten Medical Center. And look forward to continue serving SMMC and the community. +721-544-2122 tel • +721-544-2453 fax email: info@totalcleaningsxm.com the standard require- ments introduced to increase the care quality of healthcare organizations. JCI has accredited more than 800 health institutions in 68 countries. SMMC has a history of ups and downs, finan- cially, but it’s becoming more stable. They are currently working with the local government and St. Maarten’s main insurance company, So- cial Health Insurance SZV, to find ways to im- prove healthcare on the island. Van der Horst says, “With that and the new building, there’s a lot going on in our organization.We’re really growing with staff, and the services we do, it’s a positive spiral we’re in.” Van Putten sums it up well: “Although St. Maarten is small, we do amazing things.We have a big personality for a little space, and the opportunities we have at this organization make us want to play a major role in how posi- tive development of healthcare is done for the entire community of St. Maarten. The island itself is growing, developing, modernizing; and for healthcare, SMMC is keen on ensuring the service we offer to visitors, neighboring islands, and residents of St. Maarten is always of ut- most quality.” PREFERRED VENDOR n Total Cleaning ejames@totalcleaningsxm.com