West Park Awarded Accreditation with Commendation
West Park Awarded Accreditation with Commendation
On December 18, 2024, UHN’s West Park was awarded Accreditation Canada’s Accreditation with Commendation. This prestigious recognition honours the team’s resilience in navigating significant, large-scale changes, while maintaining their commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality, patient care.
(L to R): Jan Walker, VP Strategy, Innovation & CIO; Thelma Horwitz, Director of Quality and Patient Safety; Shirley Price, Clinical Director, Rehabilitation, Ambulatory Services, Patient Flow; Lynn Suter, Accreditation and Risk Specialist; Sabrina Lalji, Quality & Risk Specialist; and David Mastrangelo, Director, Respiratory and Complex Continuing Care.
Thank you to all staff for receiving this honour in recognition of the amazing care you provide every day to help patients get their lives back.
Thank you to West Park Foundation donors who support their work. You are making a difference!
West Park staff came together to demonstrate the hospital’s commitment to exceptional care during a visit from Accreditation Canada surveyors in November 2024.
Accreditation evaluates a health care organization’s practices and standards to ensure teams provide safe, high-quality, patient-centred care.
This milestone is significant on its own, given the transitions West Park has navigated in the past year. This has included moving to a new hospital building, integrating with UHN, and helping open the new UHN Reactivation Care Centre. West Park employees embraced and excelled in these opportunities – all while ensuring continuity of patient care.
Preparing for Accreditation was a collaborative effort, led by the Quality and Safety team, in partnership with Clinical Programs. The process began with self-assessments to evaluate current practices against Accreditation Canada standards. Teams then developed action plans to strengthen safety and align with national benchmarks.
An Accreditation Steering Committee was formed to track progress and ensure timelines were met. Staff stayed informed through bulletins, roadshows, and daily huddles.
A notable outcome was the revision or retirement of 450 policies, showcasing the team’s dedication to continuous improvement.
In their preliminary report in November, the Accreditation Canada surveyors highlighted the appreciation and happiness expressed by patients and families regarding their care at West Park. They praised the strength of West Park’s resilient, collaborative team, noting the supportive environment, commitment to psychological safety, and the passion staff bring to their roles—enhancing the patient experience.
