The SIUC Student Health Program is undergoing a review for accreditation which may help the program provide better health services for students as part of a trend at health facilities, service officials say.

Student Health is scheduled to submit an application this week to the American Association of Ambulatory Health Care for accreditation.

Debbie Roe, coordinator of the Ambuqual Program at Student Health said the accreditation was a move toward the future.

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It’s something that is going to be important, Roe said. We’re evaluating the quality of care in our program.

Medical Chief of Staff Mary Pohlmann said it was significant for the Student Health Program to be accredited.

It’s important to get accredited, Pohlmann said. It makes sure you have quality assurance. It assures students have better quality care.

Hospitals are accredited. Carbondale Clinic is accredited. When a patient sees an organization is accredited, they should have confidence of the care they are receiving there.

Cheryl Presley, director of SIUC Quality Assurance, Evaluation and Information Management said Health Programs has been preparing for the accreditation process over the past year and a half. Once the application for accreditation is submitted, the association will review the application, then make arrangements for a visit to the SIUC site.

During the visit, the association team will assess Student Health and look at the program’s deficiencies and strengths. Accreditation will be awarded based on those criteria, Presley said.

Quality of care is an important aspect, Presley said.

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This is the first time Student Health Programs has attempted accreditation. Previously, it was not usual for Student Health Programs to be accredited, Presley said.

It hadn’t been a trend for Student Health Programs to apply because of the variance of size (of the facility) and services provided, Presley said. As the facility grew, we felt it needed to be accredited.

Presley said the American Association of Ambulatory Health Care sets the standards of care which a program must be in compliance with to become accredited. It is the same ambulatory (non-overnight health care) firm many health care facilities have.

Presley said the accreditation process allowed Student Health to judge how the SIUC program is doing.

It is mobilizing the organization toward a goal, she said. It essentially began as a self-assessment as to what we are doing to meet those standards and criteria (set by the accreditation firm).

If accreditation is granted to the SIUC facility, which has 110 employees, Presley said there will be many benefits.

We will be meeting the standards of highest quality, she said. It puts us on equal footing with other ambulatory health care sites.

I think we’re in real good shape. I see it as an important step towards managing health care costs for our students.

Presley said even if the program does not receive accreditation, Student Health will still benefit by learning what the service needs to improve within the department.

If we don’t get accredited, we’ll know where we’re deficient and can re-apply, she said. It’s a learning process either way. It’s really been a good process. It’s shown everyone’s commitment to students and their pride in quality health care.