The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society is a proud recipient of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations’ (PANO) Seal of Excellence for successfully completing the rigorous Standards for Excellence® accreditation program.

The Foundation voluntarily opened itself up to analysis by a “jury of its peers.” The peer review team examined The Foundation for compliance with the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector, in areas including: Mission and Program, Governing Body, Conflict of Interest, Human Resources, Financial and Legal, Openness, Fundraising, Public Affairs and Public Policy.

PANO evaluates fundamental values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility, and accountability, all of which are inherently important in the nonprofit world. The Foundation’s programs and services, management, fundraising and financial practices were subjected to in-depth examination prior to earning accreditation.

Heather A. Wilson, MSW, CFRE, executive director of the Foundation said, "We are proud to formally achieve the highest benchmarks of ethics and accountability in nonprofit governance, management and operations. The standards of all of our programs including the Physicians' Health Program, LifeGuard and Student Financial Services deserve this recognition for the outstanding work they do to further the medical landscape in Pennsylvania."

Raymond C. Truex, Jr., MD, FAANS, FACS, a medical director at the Foundation said, "The Foundation made a choice to access a deeper and more comprehensive analysis to build a stronger, more effective nonprofit. Our staff spent the last several months working diligently to demonstrate that the Foundation is complying with the principles of Standards for Excellence code. I am proud of the efforts made our board and staff throughout this process, which signifies the dedication of those most vested in our organization."

"The Seal of Excellence is granted to well-managed, responsibly governed organizations that are deserving of the public’s trust," explains Tish Mogan, Standards for Excellence director for PANO. "The Foundation's board and staff have shown an extensive level of commitment to this process, and their pursuit of the Seal of Excellence confirms that they believe strongly in promoting a culture of ethics in their operations and governance."

Anne Gingerich, PANO’s executive director, adds, “The Foundation can focus even more fully on advancing their mission of providing programs and services for individual physicians and others that improve the well-being of Pennsylvanians and sustain the future of medicine because the Standards set the conditions for their internal systems to run as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Seal of Excellence is truly one of the ways that organizations can better position themselves to reach their fullest potential.”

PANO is committed to raising the level of principled and responsible practices within the nonprofit sector. PANO is licensed by the Standards for Excellence Institute® to offer a model for organizations to implement in their operating plans so they can gain a deeper understanding of their effectiveness, improve their decision-making and minimize risks.  

For more information about PANO and the Standards for Excellence® Program, visit www.pano.org.