We Did It Again!

VHA received very positive feedback from Accreditation Canada surveyors on November 30th following the three-day onsite survey. We were awarded “accreditation with exemplary standing” having met a range of national standards for quality and safety. VHA also achieved

exemplary standing in our last survey in 2012. We are absolutely delighted with this recognition and also appreciate the useful feedback from the surveyors that helps us continue to improve our care and services, as we know full well there is still a lot we could do better for our clients and their families.

High praise from our surveyors included:

  • The Board’s continued commitment to high quality, ethical, and safe care.
  • Our commitment to provide client and family focused care and engage clients and families in decision-making. Surveyors reported that “The engagement of clients and families is a true strength of the organization.”
  • New programs, all with an evaluation component, introduced to address ongoing needs of clients.

  • VHA’s collaborative work done with community partners to provide new programs and services.
  • Our robust orientation and staff educational programs.
  • A strong commitment to quality and safety with a comprehensive quality improvement structure and incident management process.
  • VHA’s eagerness to participate in research that fosters innovation and creativity in the quality care of clients.
  • Being a leader in Ethical Practice in Home and Community Care.
  • A comprehensive and thorough emergency preparedness program with a strong education component and a proactive committee.
  • Dedicated staff and resources for planning and implementation of best practices and clinical education.

Our next accreditation survey is not until 2020, but the survey experience and results received in 2016 will help drive our improvement activities and strategic directions in the interim!