ALLISTON, ONTARIO - Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) is pleased to announce that it has successfully achieved a three-year accreditation award through the Canadian Council of Health Services Accreditation (CCHSA).

The CCHSA is a national, non-profit, independent organization whose role is to help health organizations across Canada and internationally, examine and improve the quality of care they provide to their clients. The accreditation process consists of a self-assessment, an on-site survey, and follow-up action for improvements. Organizations examine all areas of their service, obtain advice from peers and involve partners and clients during on-site interviews.

Over 900 organizations are reviewed by the CCHSA. Three-year accreditation is achieved according to scores in nationally recognized standards and Required Organizational Practices (ROPs) for patient safety. Recommendations for improvement assist organizations in their goal to achieve optimum care. Stevenson Memorial received a three-year Accreditation with Condition award. The rating requires the hospital to report on three key recommendations within the next six months. Those recommendations pertain to the transfer of psychiatric patients, security of medication carts and location of the Triage area of the Emergency Department. Stevenson Memorial met 20 of the 21 ROPs that were introduced in 2005. There was therefore one ROP recommendation for the formalization and implementation of a patient safety plan.

“Accreditation is the ultimate scorecard for health organizations, it helps to direct the Board and staff as they seek to provide health care excellence to our community,” said Edward Takacs, President and CEO of SMH.

Participation in the accreditation process is voluntary and is a commitment to quality. The seal of Accreditation increases credibility, and demonstrates accountability. For several months, physicians, staff and volunteers worked on correlating information necessary to present to the CCHSA so that they could assess the quality of care at SMH. Six SMH teams reviewed 284 criterion and noted strengths and areas for improvement. They also documented achievements over the last three years.

“Stevenson Memorial has continually enjoyed accredited status since 1968,” said Dr. Nigel Gripper, Chair of the SMH Board of Directors. “That is a clear demonstration from this community hospital, of a commitment to quality health care”

“The achievement of a three-year accreditation is truly a tribute to our staff, volunteers and physicians who work with the support and direction of the Board, to serve our community,” said Takacs.

A celebration and overview of the results will take place with staff at the hospital on Friday afternoon.