.

Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Stanton Territorial Health Authority is awaiting the final results of an assessment Accreditation Canada did in September.

Robin Greig, acting director of operations for the health authority, said Accreditation Canada completed its on-site survey in September, but the final report isn't expected to be finished and delivered to the health authority until June or July of 2009. Greig said the entire process leading up to the final report is lengthy.

"It's about a year and a half for us to prepare for this," Greig said. "We go through a bunch of questionnaires and self-assessment surveys and then they come and do the on-site visit."

Greig said Stanton received a preliminary report but declined to comment on any of the details in the report. He said they are addressing issues mentioned in the preliminary report, which they plan to be working on over a period of time.

"We've got some work plans we're putting together to look at some of the issues," he said. "It's an ongoing process so we're right in the middle of it all.

"They gave us a few ideas we need to work on and we put together work teams. It's nothing major, we feel, so we're working towards meeting those things they need us to work on."

Liane Craig, director of strategic communications for Accreditation Canada (formerly the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation) said the accreditation process is performed over a three-year cycle which includes a self-assessment. Key areas of self-assessment include resident care, managing the environment, human resources development and management, information management, governance/leadership and partnerships.

"It's to try to help people improve no matter where they end up," Craig said. "We work with them to identify areas they may need some support on or some direction and that's what the whole process is about. Along the way we may very well find out they do a lot of things really well but the main focus of the exercise is for them to achieve as best as they can levels of quality and safety.

"They have gone through the exercise but have not received their final report nor have they received their final assessment which is basically their status."

Stanton was classified as an accredited service provider in a report issued by Accreditation Canada on Sept. 30. Greig said they expect to maintain their status.

"We feel we did well," he said. "Stanton is committed to providing good quality care to the NWT and the Yellowknife area."