Accredited with Commendation

October 2015 to 2019

The Good Samaritan Society and Good Samaritan Canada have gone beyond the requirements of the Qmentum accreditation program and we are commended by Accreditation Canada for our commitment to quality improvement.

As part of the Accreditation Canada Qmentum process, our organization underwent a rigorous evaluation which included an assessment of our leadership, governance, clinical programs and services against national standards and requirements for quality and safety. Specifically, we were assessed for six Standard Sets: Governance, Leadership, Residential Homes, Infection Prevention and Control, Medication Management and Long Term Care. Overall, the organization did very well achieving 98.3 per cent (581 / 591 met criteria) for the “key service elements” within the standard sets. Of particular note, the Governance and Infection Prevention and Control Standard Sets were 100 per cent met.

The surveyor team spoke highly about the organization, overall, complementing our dedicated Board of Directors and leadership team, especially their commitment to the mission, vision and values. It was also apparent to the surveyors that the values were well-woven into the sites – staff appeared dedicated and were able to articulate why they worked at The Good Samaritan Society/Good Samaritan Canada and how our mission, vision and values informed their “resident focused care.” The surveyors stated they were particularly impressed with our governance structure, strategic plan, accountabilities document, ethics framework, and the emphasis on outcomes. They complimented our ability to attract 1,800 volunteers and inquired about the strategies used to achieve such a large number.

The Violence Prevention Program, Dementia Strategy, refreshed Quality Framework, Falls Prevention strategy, and links with university researchers, were also highlighted by the surveyors as our strengths to be commended. As part of the Dementia Strategy, the surveyors zeroed in on the Antipsychotic Medication Reduction project as it has not only been highly successful, creating quality of care for residents, but has also gained a positive profile for The Good Samaritan Society and Good Samaritan Canada.

For more information about Accreditation Canada visit their website at www.accreditation.ca.