The Okanagan Indian Band’s health and wellness department has earned accolades with commendation following a review by Accreditation Canada.
“This is a milestone for the Band and for the staff that have worked so hard over the past four years to build and expand our health services, including mental health and wellness, public health, youth programs, home care, communications, and the medical clinic,” said Chief Byron Louis. “I congratulate the Health and Wellness staff.”
Accreditation means the band members and those who use the services of the health and wellness department are receiving a high standard of care.
“I’m pleased for the band members and for my team,” said health and wellness director Peter Vlahos. “Receiving accreditation with commendation is a mark of professionalism, and it indicates that we have built strong programs that meet the high standards of Accreditation Canada.”
It is not typical for an entity to undergo the accreditation process and achieve accreditation on the first review, and even rarer to be accredited with commendation. The achievement speaks to the perseverance and determination of the health and wellness staff to build strong pathways to clinical programs, including vaccination programs while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters such as the White Rock Lake wildfire.
For band members, accreditation is a sign of assurance that they are receiving top quality care that is performed to the highest levels of safety and professionalism.
Accreditation is a lengthy and formal process that requires the candidate organization to demonstrate current standards while keeping an eye on continuous improvement.
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