Health PEI has received national accreditation status from Accreditation Canada, confirming that the programs and services provided in health care facilities and program areas across the province are meeting national standards of quality, says Health PEI Board Chair Phyllis Horne.
“The quality and safety of health care services being provided on Prince Edward Island are very important to Islanders, and we are very pleased with the Accreditation Canada results and progress Health PEI has made since the last evaluation,” says Horne. “As a Board, we will use the information and recommendations in the report as a guiding tool in our work as we oversee the strategic direction of Health PEI. We are sincerely appreciative of staff involved in the Accreditation process, including the staff and physicians who are part of Health PEI’s many quality teams.”
Accreditation Canada surveyors were on Prince Edward Island September 15 to 20 visiting twenty-eight health care facilities, evaluating patient and client programs and services, as well as examining administrative and support services within Health PEI. Close to 90 per cent of the criteria assessed met national standards, an increase from 2011 when 80 per cent met standards. The unmet criteria will be the focus for ongoing quality improvement for Health PEI.
Health PEI will continue to communicate with Accreditation Canada regarding recommendations made in the report. Health PEI will be submitting follow-up reports outlining evidence of actions taken to demonstrate progress on each recommendation highlighted.
“Health PEI and its staff continually make a concerted effort to focus on improving the quality and safety of programs and services offered to patients and clients across our health care system,” said Health PEI CEO Dr. Richard Wedge. “Achieving accreditation is a reflection of the teamwork that goes into enhancing our practices, information systems and processes. As an organization, we know that there is always more we can do and areas we can improve upon. The accreditation recommendations and feedback will be a starting point from which to build upon in our efforts to do better for our staff and patients.”
Health PEI will undergo the next Accreditation Survey visit in 2017.
The full report from Accreditation Canada is available online at www.healthpei.ca.
Background:
Accreditation Canada is a national, non-profit, independent organization whose role it is to help health service organizations across Canada and internationally, examine and improve the quality of care and service they provide to their clients.
Accreditation is a voluntary process that takes place every four years as part of ongoing quality improvement.
This year, eleven surveyors, experts within their field, including physicians, nurses, administrators, lab technologists and a pharmacist, traveled across Prince Edward Island reviewing documentation, performing team interviews, participating in facility tours, and meeting with staff, clients and community partners. In total, 2,532 survey criteria were assessed.
The survey results identified several strengths throughout the health system, including:
• Recognizing that Health PEI board has a clear understanding of its roles and responsibilities and has moved quickly to formalize processes including sub-committee structures.
• Applauding Health PEI for having a clear vision of a “One Island Community, One Island Future, One Island Health System,” framing the future of the organization, as well as the scope of the services it provides.
• Commending Health PEI on having introduced the program budgeting marginal analysis (PBMA) budgeting process for the organization, allowing it to make evidence-based decisions on resource allocation.
• Commending facility-site staff members for the quality of care provided at the front lines.
In the recommendations from Accreditation Canada, several areas for improvement also emerged across the provincial health care system, including:
• Strengthen monitoring practices for reprocessing equipment and make improvements as appropriate. This may require increases in auditing, competency assessments, and standardized training.
• Strengthen practices related to safe and effective medication management.
• Share and embed Health PEI’s strategic framework throughout the organization so that the values, expectations and culture are truly blended across the health care system so as to better instill a true sense of a unified entity reflective of Health PEI’s goal of a “One Island Health” system.
• Enhance communication from the Health PEI Board and Executive Leadership Team to ensure all levels of the organization understand the philosophy and operations of Health PEI.
Health PEI Quality Teams will develop work plans for outlining their evidence of actions taken for each of the recommendations that need to be addressed and follow-up reports will be sent to Accreditation Canada to demonstrate progress.