The North East North Carolina (NENC) workgroup has taken a flexible approach to scheduling workgroup meetings by scheduling all meetings based on the accreditation site visit schedule of their workgroup members. The flexible schedule ensures that health departments preparing for their site visit have as much time as possible to prepare and have the support of the other health departments in the process.
The workgroup has found the flexible approach to scheduling meetings helpful in many ways. For example, AACs with upcoming site visits get assistance with preparation from other health departments, allowing everyone to take a deep dive into benchmarks and activities by applying current needs and ideas. AACs can be a sounding board and can assist with brainstorming, which allows everyone to think through current issues and trends related to the activities. Additionally, they conduct mock site visits at each health department, providing a “fresh set of eyes” to walk through each facility and help the AAC prepare staff.
According Ashley Stoop, AAC for Albemarle Regional Health Services and the representative for the NENC Workgroup, “Each workgroup takes a different approach to planning meetings. Our workgroup has learned that taking a flexible scheduling approach helps our members be more proactive in planning for their site visits and helps us all think more deeply about how current trends and needs influence how we address the accreditation activities.”
The NENC Agency Accreditation Coordinators working group comprises Albemarle Regional Health Services (Pasquotank, Perquimans, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Bertie, Gates and Herford), Dare, Martin-Tyrell-Washington, Hyde, Edgecombe, Halifax, and Northampton counties.
For more information contact Ashley Stoop, astoop@arhs-nc.org
