It’s been a busy week for the Survey Team from Accreditation Canada and for staff and physicians alike at VCH. The site visits are now complete for Vancouver Coastal Health’s first organization-wide accreditation survey – and I’m delighted to say that it was a huge success. While the official report from Accreditation Canada will not be received for three to four weeks, the first impressions shared at today’s All Staff Debrief were overwhelmingly positive. VCH met 94% of the 4,008 required standards of quality and care, with over 40 sites surveyed. This is a great accomplishment.

President CEO Mary Ackenhusen

The surveyors shared comments that VCH is a strong organization with passionate, dedicated staff in a values-based culture. Such observations should not be taken lightly and speak to the amazing work you all do each and every day.

What makes me most proud is how the evaluators said they could see how we lived our values, how they saw evidence that we are a learning organization, and a just organization, committed to doing the best for our patients and families.

On behalf of the Senior Executive Team, my sincere thanks and appreciation to you, the staff and physicians of VCH, who made it possible for Accreditation Canada to witness first-hand the quality and safety of our patient care and practices. A special note of gratitude also to those individuals who worked to coordinate and prepare for this important exercise and special thanks to the Quality & Patient Safety team for their leadership and expertise. Congratulations to everyone on a job well done!

Mary Ackenhusen
President & CEO

What’s next

Watch next week for more information and details from today’s Accreditation Canada debrief and check the September 29 edition of VCH News for a video recording of the debrief session.

Accreditation Canada provided a high-level overview of their findings at an all-staff debrief on September 23, 2016 at the Paetzold Auditorium at VGH and by video conference to other sites.