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Headwaters Health Care Centre earns ‘Exemplary’ accreditation

December 21, 2016   ·   0 Comments

Headwaters Health Care Centre is in the midst of celebrating a “momentous milestone” as the local facility was recently recognized as one of the leading health care providers in the country by Accreditation Canada.

Staff at the local hospital shared the exciting news with the media last week, releasing details relating to the facility’s standing as one of only a few elite hospitals across the country to be accredited with Exemplary Standing by the Canadian watchdog. The Orangeville hospital was surveyed from October 24 to 28, with Louise Kindree, Chair of the Headwaters Health Care Centre Board of Directors, stating the Accreditation Canada representatives on hand were happy with what they saw, particularly when compared to results compiled in 2012.

“The surveyors were impressed with our commitment to quality and safety, dedication to patients and the incredible growth we’ve experienced since our last survey four years ago,” Mrs. Kindree said. “This is a momentous milestone to be celebrated and we are tremendously proud of our staff, physicians and volunteers who have been the driving force behind this achievement.

Headwaters met 100 percent of Accreditation Canada’s Required Organizational Practices (ROPs), and 99.9 percent of almost 2,300 standards.  The most notable of the areas surveyors recognized at Headwaters included engaged physicians and strong leadership committed to delivering quality care to area residents, a visible and unwavering commitment to infection control in every area of the facility and an impressive culture of patient safety and focus on quality improvement initiatives across the hospital.

Headwaters has seen exponential growth in recently years and today houses nearly 700 full-time and part-time staff members, with 160 physicians on staff or accorded privileges. Last year, the hospital recorded over 44,000 emergency visits, 5,400 impatient admissions and almost 18,000 outpatient visits.

In an attempt to service the growing demand and pressures on the local facility, Headwaters is currently undergoing massive renovations, the crown jewel of which includes a new 8,700-square-foot expansion on the eastern side of the building that will house important services such as chemotherapy and oncology, infusion clinics and telemedicine. The raising of the structural steel of this project started in October and is “progressing well,” according to hospital spokesperson Alineh Haidery, with construction of the new building’s exterior expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The addition is the first major expansion the hospital has seen since it opened at its current location in 1997 and is seen as being a pivotal step towards increasing access to important health care services for the growing communities of Orangeville and Caledon.

In addition to the expansion, a further 11,900 square feet of existing hospital space is also undergoing renovations to add another operating room and expand pre- and post-surgical recovery areas. That project is expected to be complete by mid-2018.

Through Accreditation Canada, Headwaters Health Care Centre was also recognized as a leader in emergency preparedness with surveyors noting that the hospital’s work in this area was among the best they have seen anywhere in Canada.

Donna Clark, the hospital’s Interim President and CEO, was understandably delighted with the results of the onsite four-day survey and commended the “incredible work” of all hospital staff over the past number of years to bring the local facility up to these lofty standards.

“We are thrilled to have been accredited with exemplary standing,” Mrs. Clark said. “Everyone at Headwaters Health Care Centre is committed to delivering on our vision of an exceptional experience every time. This incredible achievement is a testament to our staff, physicians and volunteers who work tirelessly every day to provide safe, high quality health care to the community.”

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