Quality at Island Health
Quality at Island Health means a dedication to providing the highest standard of care and a commitment to improving the care and safety of our staff and patients every day. Quality is a responsibility we all share and is at the heart of all we do.
Island Health is committed to delivering quality care through the quadruple aim framework. This framework, derived from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, serves as a foundation for sustainable health and care by simultaneously:
- improving the health of the population,
- enhancing the experience and outcomes of the patient,
- reducing per capita cost of care for the benefit of communities, and
- improving the experience of providers.
Island Health utilizes the dimensions of quality as described by Accreditation Canada and BC Patient Safety and Quality Council (BCPSQC), and areas of care as adapted from BCPSQC by the Ministry of Health to define quality in the organization.
Quality Structures
Quality assurance and improvement is overseen and governed by an integrated council and committee structure starting with the Health Quality and Performance Committee of the Board of Directors. This structure supports the geographic model of local-level ownership of quality priorities within geographic regions, balanced with clinical standards and best practice leadership and expertise from island-wide program areas. It captures the principle of quality improvement occurring at the patient-provider interface and promotes communication and information flow throughout the organization.
The participation of all types of healthcare providers and patient or family members on all councils and committees is essential to continuously and effectively improve quality of care. Every council and committee is enriched by the participation of patients and families as members of the quality team.
The Quality Structure provides a conduit for the spread of learning and innovation throughout the organization from the patients and care team to the Board of Directors.
Accreditation
Accreditation is an internationally recognized evaluation system that Island Health uses to make sure we continue to meet evolving care standards and provide the highest level of quality care possible. Being accredited means that we have been assessed by the third-party organization Accreditation Canada and have proved ourselves to be meeting or exceeding current health care standards.
The accreditation process involves visits from health-care professionals representing Accreditation Canada, who speak with staff, volunteers, patients and families to gain a better understanding of our care practices. Though these site visits happen every three years, staff at Island Health are committed to maintaining a level of quality care and safety that would qualify our facilities for accredited status at any time.
Policy Development
Led by Island Health’s Quality Governance team, the development of quality care policies defines expectations and responsibilities for staff and care providers. In developing new policies, Island Health incorporates emerging best practices and standards with the goal of embedding world-class quality into our everyday practice.