U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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ACCREDITATION ACHIEVEMENTSISSUE
BACKGROUNDQuality improvement processes within health care organizations are an important means of improving performance, quality of care, and patient safety. The IHS measures the quality of its services against community, federal, and national standards of care and performance. Accreditation and certification organizations such as TJC, AAAHC, CMS, and CARF conduct triennial surveys and inspections of IHS health care and treatment facilities to assess the quality of care, treatment, and services provided. The IHS utilizes evidence-based practices and has fostered and developed initiatives to more effectively address and manage chronic health care conditions and promote patient self-care management. SITUATIONThe IHS and its tribal contractors benefit from system-wide programs for monitoring performance and improvement. With national systems, quality and risk in our healthcare facilities are monitored and analyzed and best practices are shared. To that end, the IHS has developed a clinical information reporting system to extract clinical Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) indicators and other clinical data, generating performance reports for IHS Areas and their Service Units and tribal programs. The IHS has also developed and deployed nationally a web-based worker and patient safety adverse event reporting system called WebCident. Worker, visitor, and patient-related errors and adverse events can be reported, analyzed, trended, and reviewed electronically, 24 hours/day, 7 days per week. When an incident report is submitted electronically into WebCident, the system automatically generates a graphic table and line-listing output reports for review and evaluation. This information is used proactively by leaders, clinicians, and others at local, regional, and national levels to reduce and prevent risk, errors, and adverse events throughout the system in order to prevent patient harm. OPTIONS/PLANSThe IHS health care environment is a uniquely complex and potentially beneficial setting in which to explore and validate selected performance improvement measures and technologies. CONTACTFor referral to the appropriate spokesperson, contact the IHS Public Affairs Staff at 301-443-3593. January 2012 |
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Indian Health Service (HQ) - The Reyes Building, 801 Thompson
Avenue, Ste. 400 - Rockville, MD 20852
The voluntary accreditation of Indian Health Service (IHS) health care facilities demonstrates the high level of quality services being provided to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. All IHS hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) or certified by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Most large clinics and many smaller clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). In addition, most youth regional treatment facilities are either accredited by TJC or the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).