Issued January 3, 2017
Woodstock, ON – The voluntary Accreditation process is one of the most effective ways for a hospital to examine and improve the quality of service it provides by comparing its programs and services to national standards of excellence.
Achieving Accreditation is a very rigorous process that requires hospitals to continuously evaluate their processes around patient care, safety, governance, leadership and communications. On December 5, 6 & 7, 2016, Woodstock Hospital underwent an Accreditation Survey. During these three days, four accreditors met with a wide range of people and departments to assess our hospital’s programs, policies and procedures.
On December 20, 2016, Accreditation Canada released Woodstock Hospital’s accreditation decision – ACCREDITATION WITH EXEMPLARY STANDING – the highest accreditation award issued by Accreditation Canada.
“Every day, our staff, physicians and volunteers, work hard to carry out our promise to deliver compassionate patient care and quality services,” states Natasa Veljovic, President & CEO. “Receiving Accreditation with Exemplary Standing is a testament to the quality of work performed by everyone at our hospital.”
Accreditation decisions are based on compliance with standards, Woodstock Hospital was evaluated on 2,359 standards, of those standards WH was in compliance with 99.5%. In addition, WH met every test for compliance for ALL 31 Required Organizational Practices. By achieving Accreditation with Exemplary Standing, Woodstock Hospital will not undergo another accreditation survey for four years!
“We can all take pride in knowing that our hospital has achieved this level of recognition,” said Jayne Menard, VP of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer. “It also assures our patients and their families that the care and services they receive meets nationally recognized standards for best practices and patient safety.”
Some of the highlights and strengths acknowledged by the Accreditors included:
Commitment to quality and patient safety is shown at all levels. Staff demonstrate a significant commitment to patients and the organization.
The process of implementing computerized provider order entry resulted in greater cohesion and collaboration among staff, including the development of innovative
solutions to monitor processes.
The organization has embraced LEAN principles and encourages staff to participate in improvement activities.
Community partners described the hospital as authentic, trusting, supportive, responsive and willing to share.
Patient and family centered care has been embraced as a key focus and the organization is commended for the work on engaging patients and families.
The ethical framework is well embedded in the organization and is part of their clinical practice.
The organization is creative and innovative not only in the delivery of care but also in its physical environment.
The governance board is engaged and committed to improving the quality of care and patient experience at the hospital.
“The Board of Trust is proud to represent a hospital that can accomplish the highest Accreditation award,” said Ken Whiteford, Woodstock Hospital Board of Trust Chair. “From our involvement, it was evident how much time and effort went into preparations for this evaluation. It was a meaningful and rewarding process to be involved in. Congratulations to everyone involved!”
“Accreditation is one of the best assurances we can give to our patients, our community and ourselves that WH is meeting or exceeding quality standards and patient safety,” states Sharron Poole, Accreditation Coordinator. “The work of preparing for Accreditation involves the examination of all processes within the organization from how we administer a medication, to how well we clean our hands. We examined, evaluated and revised processes in order to ensure our full compliance with all accreditation standards. This accreditation award is a true testimony to the staff’s commitment and dedication to providing safe quality patient care. Accreditation with exemplary standing is an award to celebrate!”
About Accreditation Canada
Accreditation Canada is a not-for-profit, independent organization accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). Accreditation Canada provides national and international health care organizations with an external peer review process to assess and improve the services they provide to their patients and clients based on standards of excellence. Accreditation Canada’s programs and guidance have helped organizations promote quality health care for over 50 years. For more information visit www.accreditation.ca
About Woodstock Hospital
Built in November 2011, Woodstock Hospital is a 178 bed, full-service community hospital, providing primary care to a population of 55,000 and specialized care to nearly 110,000 within the County of Oxford. The new facility offers a wide range of health programs including Maternal Child, Women’s Health, Specialized Surgical Services, Inpatient and Outpatient Mental Health Services, Dialysis and Rehabilitation Programs, a Systemic Therapy Program and an MRI. Our full service facility works closely with our community partners to provide our patients with healthcare services, close to home.
For more information contact:
Jayne Menard
VP Patient Care & Chief Nursing Officer
Phone: 519-421-4218
Email: jmenard@wgh.on.ca
Sharron Poole
Accreditation Coordinator & Manager Professional Development
Phone: 519-421-4211 ext. 2481
Email: spoole@wgh.on.ca