Health Care Accreditation

The provision of quality health care services to communities across the country is a challenging task. The task is especially difficult when the community exists within a correctional system. While diagnosis and treatment schedules may be similar, correctional agencies are forced to provide these services in unique and challenging environments.

Correctional systems are faced with providing health care services to a community or population that tends to have many preexisting health conditions. Lifestyles, drug dependency issues, physical or mental health difficulties and the condition of confinement also impact the health of correctional population. Delivering quality health care services in this environment distinctly differs from other health care settings.

The Health Care accreditation is a: 
  • Voluntary accreditation process of the health services unit of a jail, prison, or detention center
  • It’s done using national recognized performance-based health care standards 
    

Benefits

The benefits for the facility are proportionate to the commitment to incorporate the compliance process into daily operations and management of health and treatment services

Overall benefits include:
  • Improved staff training 
  • Improved professionalism and morale
  • Improved environmental safety
  • Defense against litigation 
  • Management evaluation and planning tool
  • Enhanced public perception
  • Opportunity for management and staff to work together to evaluate operations, assess needs and develop solutions

For more information about the Health Care Accreditation process, contact the Office of Correctional Health Care.