Successfully managing health and wellness during college can positively affect a student’s experience, and Bentley University’s Health Center plays a critical role in providing services and programs to keep students healthy. The Bentley Health Center was one of only four higher education outpatient facilities in Massachusetts to receive three-year accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) as determined by an independent, external evaluation process.
“We know that we provide safe, quality care for our students, but being held to strict, national standards helps us prove that,” says Gerri Taylor, MS, APRN, ANP-BC, associate dean of health, counseling and wellness and director of the Health Center. “The accreditation is also a constant reminder that it’s our responsibility to continuously improve the quality of care we provide. It informs everything we do each day.”
The Bentley Health Center, which offers comprehensive health services for full-time students, met nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality health care set by AAAHC. The extensive accreditation process included seven core standards: patient rights and responsibilities; governance; administration; quality of care; quality management and improvement; clinical records and health information; infection prevention control and safety; and facilities and environment.
While Taylor emphasizes that each staff member contributed to the accreditation process, Margaret Fitzgerald, MSN, FNP-BC, played a central role in overseeing details during the past year.
“As a manager, I knew we were running a tight, safe operation, but using evidence-based guidelines provides another level of accountability,” says Fitzgerald, who is associate director of the Health Center. “This is critically important because for many college students it is the first time they are navigating health services or going through an illness without a family member. It’s our job to provide support and education so students can be certain of the quality care they receive.”
Outpatient health care organizations seeking accreditation by AAAHC undergo an extensive self-assessment and on-site survey by AAAHC expert surveyors – physicians, nurses, and administrators who are actively involved in ambulatory health care. The survey is consultative and educational, presenting best practices to help an organization improve its care and services.
“We believe that this accreditation demonstrates the high standards for the quality of care at the Bentley University Health Center,” adds Taylor. “It confirms the importance Bentley places on the health of our students.”
About Bentley University
Bentley University is one of the nation’s leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader with the technical skills, global perspective and ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. Bentley’s diverse arts and sciences program combined with an advanced business curriculum prepares graduates to make an impact in their chosen fields. The university enrolls approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students. For more information, visit www.bentley.edu.