It’s a four-peat! St. Joseph’s once again earns Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada

London Ontario – St. Joseph’s Health Care London, which has held the highest designation given by Accreditation Canada for the past 12 years, has once again received “Accredited with Exemplary Standing,” extending the title to 16 straight years.

During the accreditation survey, five surveyors from across the country- including a patient surveyor- spend nearly a week visiting St. Joseph’s sites to measure the organization’s performance against a rigorous set of standards. Out of 1,715 criteria, St. Joseph’s met 1,713 (99.9 per cent), including every ‘Required Organizational Practice’ -the organization’s best accreditation result to date. A Required Organizational Practice (ROP) is an essential practice that organizations must have in place to enhance patient/client safety and minimize risk.

These results were achieved under Accreditation Canada’s new Qmentum Global Program which includes a more rigorous scoring process, making the achievement of exemplary standing even more impressive than in previous years. St. Joseph’s was among the first hospitals in Ontario to be measured under these new standards.

“Participation in the accreditation process is vital to our relentless pursuit of excellence in patient safety and quality,” says Roy Butler, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s. “The bar is set high and that is where we want it. We were assessed against more than a thousand criteria and our staff, physicians, volunteers and care partners stepped up to the challenge, achieving exemplary standing for the fourth consecutive time. I am always incredibly proud of this organization and all those who work here every day, but today I’m bursting with pride.”

Accreditation Canada surveyors highlighted St. Joseph’s workplace culture as a “great strength” stating, “the warmth and the friendliness are palpable.” They also made special note of St. Joseph’s commitment to people-centred care, affirming that partnerships with patients, residents and families are deeply embedded in the philosophy of the organization. “We heard from patients, families and care partners that their voices are heard, and they are respected,” said the surveyors.

Another standout for Accreditation Canada is St. Joseph’s focus on social determinants of health with one surveyor commenting: “You truly are an anchor organization…you have gone out, beyond your boundaries and are helping others, as well as your whole community, in terms of population health.”  
Surveyors also praised St. Joseph’s commitment to patient safety, advancing excellence in care, and a culture of transparency and learning that is prevalent throughout the organization.  

“This survey has once again highlighted our continued dedication to excellence, our collective devotion to patient and resident care and our commitment to earning the complete confidence in the care we provide” says Roy. “Each of these components are woven into the fabric of St. Joseph’s and make this an outstanding organization where we are driven to deliver on an exceptional care experience.”

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Learn more about the Accreditation Canada Survey on St. Joseph’s website:

For more information:
Renee Sweeney
Communication and Public Affairs
519.646.6100 ext. 47788
@email

Accreditation Canada: Accreditation Canada is a not-for-profit, independent organization which provides health care organizations with an external peer review to assess their services based on standards of excellence. These standards examine all aspects of health care. Accreditation surveyors spend close to a week onsite, observing care processes, interviewing patients, families, staff, physicians, and community partners and examining documentation and performance data.

About St. Joseph’s Health Care London
Renowned for compassionate care, St. Joseph’s Health Care London is a leading academic health care centre in Canada dedicated to helping people live to their fullest by minimizing the effects of injury, disease and disability through excellence in care, teaching and research. Through partnership with Lawson Health Research Institute and our collaborative engagement with other health care and academic partners, St. Joseph’s has become an international leader in the areas of: chronic disease management; medical imaging; specialized mental health care; rehabilitation and specialized geriatrics; and surgery. St. Joseph’s operates through a wide range of hospital, clinic and long-term and community-based settings, including: St. Joseph’s Hospital; Parkwood Institute; Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care; and Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care. For more information, visit www.sjhc.london.on.ca