SPECIAL ACCREDITATION ISSUE – Preparing for our on-site survey Communication summaries

To ensure staff and physicians have the information they need to feel confident about the survey, communication summaries related to Required Organizational Practices (ROPs) and other initiatives are being posted on SharePoint under Accreditation. These communication summaries are helpful quick hits of information linking the work we do at St. Joseph’s with accreditation standards.

Understanding tracers

When Accreditation Canada surveyors are on-site in October, they will make observations and ask questions to determine if standards are being met. In preparation for these on-site visits, clinical staff who have completed tracer training will be conducting tracers at all sites, providing an opportunity to follow or ‘trace’ the path of a patient or process, similar to an official on-site survey. These tracers allow staff and physicians to practice responding to questions that an accreditation surveyor might ask when they are here in the fall.

Tracers help us to identify our strengths as well as where we have opportunities for quality improvement. Because we know that Accreditation Canada surveyors will be speaking to our patients, families and caregivers while on-site in October, we also have five care partners who have been trained to participate in tracers across the organization which will provide invaluable feedback and learning opportunities for us, from their perspectives. Keep an eye out for leaders, staff and the care partners pictured below, who will be participating in tracers across all programs and departments.