Region Three Mock Site Visits
The Region Three Workgroup (Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Watauga-Ashe-Alleghany, Wilkes, Yadkin) conducts mock site visits with each county in their region approximately one month before the county’s official site visit. They use the Activities that Require Visual Observation document as a guide during the mock visit. They ask the health department’s applicable staff to tour with them and they take notes as they conduct the mock site visit. They interview staff about policy, accessibility, notifications of updates, etc. They also inspect signage, observe the facilities for accessibility for persons with physical disabilities, look for potential breaches in patient privacy, inspect for cleanliness and methods of disinfection, assess cleaning logs and equipment calibration logs, etc. These visits typically take two hours. They end the visit with a “Hot Wash” including the Health Director, Director of Nursing and AAC, if possible. Each member of the mock site visit team shares their experience and leaves their contact information for further questions, as needed.
According to Denise Price, the Forsyth County AAC, “a key component of the accreditation process for our region is the voluntary mock facility review. The review, typically conducted 2-4 weeks in advance of the scheduled onsite visits, are a valuable (and benign!) way to assess readiness, gain new perspectives, and learn about peer accreditation experiences. The team reviews potential areas for improvement and, as needed, collectively brainstorms solutions and best practices. And as a bonus, there is a built-in support group and cheerleading squad in the days leading up to the onsite review!”
Denise further explains, “as a new AAC, the knowledge that was shared by my peers during the mock site visit was invaluable. The team provided feedback about what we were doing well, and suggested opportunities for improvement. The process also allowed us to work out the ‘jitters’ so that we could present confidently during the “real” onsite. The learning continues when performing mock reviews for my peers, offering an opportunity to observe innovative work being done by other local health departments, and reinforcing knowledge about accreditation requirements.”
For additional information contact Emily Mayes at mayese@co.surry.nc.us