Accreditation reflects the highest standards within the Canadian health care system. Hospitals have always required accreditation, but the extension of this requirement to now include continuing care homes is a new standard that is enforced in Alberta but not in all Canadian provinces.
Alberta recognizes four accreditation bodies:
Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
Council on Accreditation (approved for homecare and supportive living only)
How does the accreditation process work?
Accreditation is continuous improvement process that helps care homes evaluate their facility and operational practices against the current, national standard of excellence. The typical sequence of events is as follows:
Participating facilities are provided with a comprehensive list of current standards
The care home develops a plan to involve all levels of their organization (board, management, and front-line staff) in self-assessing the facility’s performance against the standards
An accrediting body* visits the site and conducts a thorough review and evaluation of the site’s self-assessment.
The care home receives a numerical score (up to 100%) reflecting the proportion of high standards that are met. It also receives a detailed written report regarding high performing aspects of operations as well as areas requiring improvement.
The care home receives an accreditation seal that remains in effect for three to four years before the next accreditation cycle begins.
In the intervening three to four years, the care home reviews the detailed report and focuses on making improvements to noted areas in anticipation of the next accreditation period.
Why CHAA operators support the accreditation requirement
Accreditation ensures care home operators and their staff are able to achieve a common standard of performance and accountability. Accreditation protects all residents in care and ensures consistency across contracted operators.
Most CHAA care homes have been accredited for years — long before the requirement came into force — as a reflection of our commitment to high quality, safe care.
Related content
Learn how CHAA is advocating for continuing care regulatory change in Alberta.
Our members
Our member organizations are exclusively not-for-profit providers of publicly funded continuing care and acute care services info. Collectively, we use the power of research, leadership, and integrity to champion change.
Our board
CHAA's small but mighty board is close-knit, values-driven, and nimble. Our goals? To always collaborate respectfully with decision-makers. And to use evidence and experience to inform system-wide change.
About non-profit care
Being not-for-profit means we can focus on the values and faith that have guided our mission of service for more than a century.