In its first on-site assessment since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has once again achieved Accreditation Canada (AC)'s highest ranking - Accreditation with Exemplary Standing.
The healthcare accreditation body visited LHSC during the week of February 13 to evaluate the facility’s operations. Before then, the most up-to-date AC accreditation was awarded in 2018.
During AC's more recent visit, the London hospital got a perfect score in the Required Organizational Practices, which encompasses six key areas promoting patient safety and risk reduction. LHSC also met 99.2 per cent of AC’s 3,348 standards of high-quality care.
“We are exceptionally proud of our staff and physicians who, despite the challenges of the pandemic, have continued to demonstrate dedication and resilience in all aspects of our people-centered approach to care,” said LHSC President and CEO Dr. Jackie Schleifer Taylor. “This designation recognizes our commitment to prioritizing safe, quality care and continuously improving our processes and systems to advance and drive innovation in how we serve the community.”
LHSC’s key areas of strength were reportedly their engagement with patients and families, the collaborative and integrated model of care delivery, and the organization’s ongoing work to integrate accreditation into operations.
While the Exemplary Standing designation applies to LHSC as a whole, smaller divisions within the hospital have already been recognized by AC this year.
LHSC’s Clinical Neurological Sciences Department received a Stroke Distinction designation in January. This was followed by their Canadian Surgical Technologies & Advanced Robotics program receiving a five-year Accreditation certification from both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American College of Surgeons in February.
“This process is a critically important quality improvement exercise, allowing us to identify what we do well and assess where we can make improvements,” Schleifer Taylor added. “It has reaffirmed our strong culture of quality and safety, meaning patients, families and the communities we serve can be confident they are receiving exemplary care when they visit LHSC.”