By Kelly Burgess, Bruce Peninsula Press
The cloudy, cool weather did not stop Grey Bruce Health Services (GBHS) celebration BBQ at the Lion’s Head Hospital on June 15. GBHS has been hosting celebration BBQs to honour staff at all six hospitals for their achievement of Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada. Lion’s Head, Wiarton, Owen Sound, Southampton, Meaford and Markdale hospitals received this highest award available through the hospital accreditation program.
Surveyors from Accreditation Canada visited all six hospitals at the end of April to review and evaluate GBHS against Canadian hospital quality and safety standards. Accreditation is an ongoing process of assessing health care and social services organizations against standards of excellence to identify what is being done well and what needs to be improved. It is conducted every four years at the GBHS hospitals.
Some of the noted strengths within GBHS were energy within the organization, positive, high functioning teams and strengthened physician relationships. They also showed strength in community partnerships, enhanced mental health services, investments in health human resources, leadership development, and as a non-emergent medical team.
So how does an organization achieve exemplary standing?
According to Sean Conroy, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Development with GBHS, “You have to meet a huge number of required organizational practices (ROPs) in order to achieve exemplary standing. You can’t miss any so it is an incredible achievement for all six of our hospitals.” The continued commitment and dedication to quality healthcare by GBHS staff is evident through these achievements.
Out celebrating at the BBQ were many members of the Lion’s Head Hospital Auxiliary including Ron Baker, Treasurer. Ron and his wife Ingrid were excited to acknowledge this incredible achievement for the hospital. “It is quite an honour to have achieved this. It is so great!” Baker exclaimed. The Auxiliary has been busy with some of the many fundraising events such as the spring plant sale and preparing for the upcoming Giant Garage Sale to be held on July 8 and 9 at the Lion’s Head Arena. They continue their commitment to raise money in order to support the exemplary care within GBHS.
