In 2017, we launched Health Standards Organization (HSO)
HSO builds world-class standards and innovative assessment programs, new technologies and activation services for accreditation bodies, governments, associations and others.
HSO works together with Accreditation Canada
Accreditation Canada delivers high-impact, high-value assessment programs including certification and accreditation to Canadian and international clients.
Two organizations.
One bold ambition:
To unleash the power and potential of people around the world who share our passion for achieving quality health services for all.
2017 by the numbers
30
countries – our presence around the world
143
dedicated staff
247
accreditation surveys completed
500
peer surveyors
7,000+
health and social services sites working with us
millions
of lives impacted
And it’s all because of you
In 2016 we consulted with more than 700 people
including patients, practitioners and policy makers to understand how best to impact the quality and safety of health and social services in Canada and around the world.
What we heard:
- Connect better with one another
- Design systems and solutions for people
- Listen to all voices
- Make it easier to do the right thing
- Boil it down to what matters
- Link data, decisions and practices to better health
“I’m the key to making me better because I have all the hidden information.”
How we’re making a difference together
Igniting a People powered
health™ movement
We’re all about people.
People who are passionate about achieving quality health services for all.
People who turn big ideas into results that matter.
We call this People powered health™Every day we dedicate ourselves to working with people from around the world so that we can achieve quality health services for all.
Here are a few examples of how we’re bringing people closer to the center of everything we do:
- Launched the HSO Patient Partnership Office to include patients and families in the co-design of all of our programs and services
- Strengthening People Centered Care (PCC) criteria in our standards, so that care is organized around the comprehensive needs of people
- Patients and families are being integrated into our survey teams to provide an important perspective during the accreditation process (What’s a survey?)
Building
world-class standards
Standards are the backbone of quality improvement
That’s why in 2017, we launched Health Standards Organization (HSO) to develop the next generation of rigorous global standards that raise the bar for health and social services everywhere.
HSO was accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), making it the only Standards Development Organization in Canada solely dedicated to developing health and social service standards
We launched 12 technical committees comprised of over 185 patients & family members, policy makers, providers and other stakeholders to oversee the development of our standards. By the end of 2018, we will have a total of 19 technical committees.
We launched standards focused on Child Welfare and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities services, and will be launching 4 more standards in 2018.
Redefining quality assessments
Health systems are evolving, and so should the way health organizations are assessed.
Here’s what we’re doing:
- Providing more choices to health and social service providers by introducing:
- Attestation and Audit
- Unannounced Surveys
- Patient Pathways
- Launching software platforms that let organizations self-assess against HSO’s world-class standards and create action plans for improvement
- Tailoring surveys and surveyor teams to reflect local needs
Looking at the continuum of care through the lens of the patient
Patients as:
- Experience Experts
- Safety Partners
- People
No one knows the patient journey better than patients themselves.
That’s why we’ve partnered with patients to identify gaps and improve care for all across the health ecosystem.
Allied Health Education
We are proud to provide accreditation services for educational programs for allied health professions such as EMS and radiation technology. Our program creates greater interoperability, strengthens cooperation and prepares learners for successful integration into the health eco-system.
Building and sharing global expertise
Expanded HSO’s Leading Practices Library,
which showcases nearly 1,000 innovate quality
practices from health service providers across
Canada and abroad.
Built and tested global
assessment programs
that can be customized
to local needs.
Opened offices
in Latin America
and Europe.
Met with thought leaders, clients, clinicians,
patients and policy makers from
every province and more than 20 countries
to better understand their needs.
In 2017, we recruited and
trained 70 surveyors from
13 countries, including 14
patient surveyors.
Addressing the needs of all different types of providers
Providers told us that we need to tailor our standards and assessments for their unique needs, and we heard them.
A community clinic, for example, has different needs than a hospital. We’re getting rid of the one-size-fits-all approach and building standards and assessments specific to different types of care providers.