MPCA News

COOPERATIVE HEALTH CENTER EARNS JCAHO ACCREDITATION

HELENA - The Cooperative Health Center (CHC), a federally funded community health center that provides health care to everyone regardless of ability to pay, recently became the first health care clinic in Helena to earn accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO).

JCAHO, an independent, not-for-profit organization, is the United States’ largest and oldest health care accrediting body whose mission is to continually improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public.

By seeking accreditation, the CHC agreed to be measured against national standards set by health care professionals. The clinic was evaluated on its adherence to 350 standards for safe, high-quality health care, according to Kate Wilson, the CHC’s executive director.

“ Because the Cooperative Health Center’s mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to everyone, we asked JCAHO to review our operations,” Wilson explained. “Every staff member contributed to the CHC becoming accredited. This is a high honor for all of us.”

“ We are proud that our hard work in providing patient care was recognized by this national accrediting organization,” said clinic operations manager Paula Block, R.N. “We’re happy for our patients; their health center not only provides affordable care based on their income, but high-quality care too. And we are thankful to all the community health providers who support our clinic work.”

The center prepared for the accreditation inspection for two years, said Dr. Ken Sanders, the clinic’s medical director.

“ We improved everything at our clinic, from patient care to the cleanliness of our exam rooms,” he said.

JCAHO standards address quality and safety of care. Infection control, emergency management, patient rights, human resources and performance improvement are examples of some of the areas the JCAHO inspectors reviewed during their two days at the clinic.

JCAHO accreditation is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. To earn and maintain accreditation, an organization must undergo an on-site evaluation every three years.

The CHC, located at 1930 Ninth Ave. with satellite clinics at God’s Love Shelter and in Lincoln, focuses on wellness and early prevention. The clinic has five medical providers, a dentist, and a therapist who offer medical services, immunizations, lab services, dental care and mental health services.

The CHC accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and also has a sliding fee scale for people without insurance. To make an appointment, call 443-2584.

Montana Primary Care Association 1805 Euclid Avenue Helena, MT 59601 Phone: (406) 442-2750 Fax: (406) 449-2460