the australian council on healthcare standards … foreword about achs our vision our mission...

The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards

Strategic Plan 2015 – 2018

Contents

Foreword

About ACHS

Our Vision

Our Mission

Strategic Goals

Goal 1 - Expand our business reach

Goal 2 - Grow our membership

Goal 3 - Build strategic alliances

Goal 4 - Inspire organisational performance

Goal 5 - Ensure sustainability

Goal 6 - Share our knowledge

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The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) is now into its fifth decade having celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014. Since its establishment in 1974, ACHS continues to be an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving quality in healthcare.

The ACHS Strategic Plan 2015 – 2018 outlines an ambitious three year program that will ensure ACHS remains a strategic leader in the ever changing and evolving healthcare industry. The strategic directions build on the ACHS history of excellence to ensure ACHS retains its position as a leader in healthcare safety and quality.

Delivering safe quality healthcare within the demands and pressures of the economic and political landscape presents many challenges for our members. ACHS will position itself to be able to best support its members to meet those challenges.

The ACHS Strategic Plan has been developed by the ACHS Board, Council and Executive through rigorous analysis, consultation and debate. Careful consideration has been given to the capacity of the ACHS as a not-for-profit organisation and the changing and ever-evolving environment of healthcare, both nationally and internationally.

ForewordACHS has reflected on its achievements in line with the future directions, and reset the vision, mission and values to ensure the organisation is best positioned to achieve its six new strategic goals within the next three years.

ACHS is committed to improving quality in healthcare. Quality in healthcare is the organisation’s core belief and focus. ACHS believes in safe quality healthcare for all, and will continue to work with its members and the healthcare industry in order for all involved in the delivery of healthcare to make this achievable, while providing value for money and the best possible service to both members and the industry as a whole.

ACHS is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving quality in healthcare.

It is governed by a Board of 12 Directors who are elected by a Council of 31 member organisations, drawn from peak bodies in the health industry, as well as representatives from governments, consumers and members.

ACHS is recognised by The International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) for its organisational framework, its accreditation programs and surveyor training. ACHS has been a member of ISQua’s International Accreditation Programme (IAP) since 1999 is currently awarded ISQua accreditation until 2018.

Having been at the forefront of Australian healthcare accreditation since its inception in 1974, ACHS has maintained its strong culture of developing relevant accreditation products and services for the Australian market for 40 years.

About ACHSThis culture led to the establishment of ACHS International (ACHSI) in 2005 as a wholly owned subsidiary company of ACHS.

Accreditation in international health markets has increasing recognition as a major factor to driving safe, quality health care services.

ACHSI provides accreditation services across seventeen countries to a diverse range of members and the market for international accreditation services continues to grow.

Christine DennisChief Executive Officer

Karen LinegarPresident

Our vision statement is focused on our core business. We aspire to excellence in all aspects of healthcare and want to inspire others to strive for excellence.

Our mission defines what we do and sets the context for our strategic goals.

Our Mission

Our Vision

Inspiring excellence in healthcare

To strengthen safe, quality healthcare by continuously advancing standards and education nationally and internationally

Values are the essential foundation of our organisation. They describe what is important to us and frame how we work.

Working TogetherWe work with our stakeholders to achieve goals

AccountabilityWe take responsibility for our performance

Commitment We are committed to fostering an innovative and outcomes driven culture

AdaptabilityOur flexibility enables us to adapt and embrace change

ResponsivenessWe are quick to respond to the needs of our members and the ever changing health landscape

ExcellenceWe strive for excellence in everything we do

Our Values

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ACHS Strategic Goals

Goal 1:Expand our

business reach

Goal 2:Grow our

membership

Goal 3:Build strategic

alliances

Goal 4:Inspire

organisational performance

Goal 5:Ensure

sustainability

Goal 6:Share our knowledge

Inspiring excellence in healthcare

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1. Expand our business reachBuild our business reach by strategically seeking out new opportunities that foster national and international recognition

2. Grow our membershipGrow, maintain and sustain our national and international membership through the continued delivery of outstanding service and products that directly meet our member’s needs

3. Build strategic alliancesCreate strong partnerships and alliances that support collaboration and engagement and uphold, develop and build on our vision

4. Inspire organisational performanceInspire our organisation to always be its absolute best by putting our members at the centre, ensuring our workplace celebrates and fosters the creative, innovative capacity of our workforce by providing strong leadership which creates our values-based organisational environment

5. Ensure sustainabilityDeliver an efficient and financially sustainable business model underpinned by high standards of accountability and quality assurance

6. Share our knowledgeEmpower our members and stakeholders to deliver quality healthcare by harnessing our data and actively seeking new opportunities to share information and knowledge that will support the delivery of safe, quality healthcare

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Build our business reach by strategically seeking out new opportunities that foster national and international recognition

1. Maximise our business reach by exploring new ways to enhance the delivery of safe, quality healthcare

2. Grow and maintain ACHS’ position as an expert in safety and quality

Strategic objectives

Strategic Goal 1

Expand our business reach

• Capitalise on innovations and technological advancement to enhance our existing products to assist our members to achieve excellence• Create new products and services that will broaden our quest for excellence within healthcare• Explore new market opportunities that will facilitate the delivery of safe quality healthcare

• Maintain and grow our leadership position in the field of safety and quality by capitalising on opportunities to share our expertise through national and international healthcare forums and publications• Promote the value of ACHS as the leading industry expert • Leverage modern communication technology to promote and share our skills, experience and expertise• Through writing, commentary and presence increase our profile in the public domain

› The ACHS brand is synonymous with

trusted, sound, expert advice

› ACHS is recognised for its cutting edge

products and services

› ACHS is the market leader as the

preferred supplier of safety and quality

products and services within Australia

and internationally

› ACHS is sought out by the healthcare

industry as the expert voice on quality

in healthcare

Key actions

What success looks like...

The healthcare industry is focused on leading research and innovation to deliver better care. Opportunities for innovation created through medical and technological advancement create an environment that constantly challenges us to rethink how and what we deliver. ACHS will position itself to maximise on opportunities emerging from new evidence and technological breakthroughs to develop new products and services that benefit our members and ensure we are always at the forefront of industry developments.

ACHS is the leader in safety and quality in Australia. Our reputation has been built on our sound knowledge of best practice in safety and quality in healthcare. This reputation needs to be maintained, nurtured and promoted nationally and internationally.

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1. Deliver outstanding services that meet the needs of our members

2. Increase our membership

Grow, maintain and sustain our national and international membership through the continued delivery of outstanding service and products that directly meet our member’s needs


Strategic Goal 2

Grow our membership

By identifying changes in the nature and scope of the healthcare landscape we can build on ACHS’ leadership position to seize opportunities to expand our membership, both nationally and internationally whilst maintaining and promoting our loyalty and commitment to our membership base.

We set ourselves apart from our competitors by providing an outstanding service to all our members. Placing our members at the forefront of our business ensures they are given the best opportunity to provide safe, quality healthcare.

• Place our members first by providing a personalised and tailored customer focused service • Capitalise on all interactions with our members to better understand how we can provide them with the best possible service • Recognise and engage with the expertise of our members by actively seeking their input and ideas on how we can improve our products and services

• Actively identify areas where the expertise and value of ACHS can be promoted to potential new members across the national and international healthcare arena• Develop a High Achievement Program that drives the pursuit of excellence• Provide products that are easy to use and flexible, so potential members easily recognise the benefits of joining our organisation and current members continue to receive new benefits from ACHS

› The ACHS membership base continues

to grow and broaden

› Our members demonstrate strong

brand loyalty and value the work

of ACHS

› ACHS is known for its customer service

› ACHS products are widely used

and recognised

Key actions


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Create strong partnerships and alliances that support collaboration and engagement and uphold, develop and build on our vision


Strategic Goal 3

Build strategic alliances

By working with and collaborating with other healthcare industry experts we will ensure our products and services remain at the forefront of healthcare advancement. This will help us maintain our market leadership position as an expert in quality healthcare and ensure we are always in a position to provide our members with the most up to date industry advice.

1. Explore opportunities to work with other industry experts to deliver better services to our members

2. Build and maintain effective networks in order to maintain relevance and stay ahead of the game within the health industry

By building and maintaining effective networks with industry experts ACHS will be able to build on its leadership position and ensure it remains at the forefront of emerging evidence and healthcare innovation. This will ensure our members have access to the most current expert evidence and knowledge.

• Explore prospects for joint ventures with other industry experts so we are up to date and can partner in the latest changes and innovations in healthcare• Seek opportunities to collaborate with partners to present and promote the latest advancements in safety and quality in key publications and prominent events• Promote the reach of ACHS and its membership base to industry experts and leaders so the benefits of partnering with ACHS are recognised

• Leverage the latest research and evidence to identify opportunities to establish new networks to ensure our products and services remain at the forefront of industry directions• Expand our professional networks and reach across the broad health industry to identify opportunities to learn and partner with experts and respected bodies from across the industry spectrum• Support the ACHS workforce to actively engage in industry professional bodies, associations and forums so they can keep abreast of emerging healthcare evidence

Key actions

› ACHS creates exciting new joint

ventures with innovative health

industry partners

› ACHS has active industry networks

which foster the translation of evidence

into new products and services

› ACHS is recognised as an active

promoter and partner in healthcare

innovation and research


Key actions

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Inspire our organisation to always be its absolute best by putting our members at the centre, ensuring our workplace celebrates and fosters the creative, innovative capacity of our workforce and members and by providing strong leadership which creates our values based organisational environment

1. Create an organisational culture that inspires innovation

2. Strive for excellence in everything we do


Strategic Goal 4

Inspire organisational performance

We will build an organisational culture of innovation that supports team-work as an extension of our values to ensure the unique capability and potential of all employees and volunteers is recognised, valued and fostered.A positive culture nurtures people, fosters the development of good ideas and creates and environment where staff feel safe to explore and share new possibilities for business.

At ACHS we believe in what we do and we are committed to practising what we preach. Our organisational philosophy of excellence and quality is embedded in our DNA. We will continue to challenge ourselves to strive for quality and excellence in all aspects of our organisation, each and every day.

• Establish opportunities and create spaces for our workforce to be challenged, to learn and to grow• Actively seek new ideas and capitalise on our workforce to foster innovation in products and services• Ensure ACHS organisational governance, structures, systems and processes are contemporaneous and support innovation and quality performance• Develop a succession planning model that will best position ACHS to adapt and evolve

• Attract and maintain a highly skilled workforce by investing in training and professional development • Support leadership development to maintain ACHS as the home of leading experts in safety and quality• Recognise and celebrate achievement and quality • Establish a pathway for staff to grow and develop in their careers across all levels of the organisation• Build an organisational culture that upholds our values in everything that we do, always.

› ACHS workforce recognised for

delivering quality and excellence

› ACHS attracts and retains recognised

experts and leaders in quality healthcare

› ACHS is seen as an employer of choice

across the health industry

› ACHS staff feel valued, supported and

challenged in their work

› Strong governance structures, systems

and processes are in place that support

the workforce and enable innovation

and excellence


• Conduct market research and seek feedback from industry experts to refine our products and services so they remain of the highest quality and continue to meet changing needs of members and the healthcare industry• Make continuous improvement a feature of our daily interactions with our members so we always push ourselves to deliver a higher quality service• Embed reflective learning and improvement processes and practices across all our business operations • Redevelop and launch EQuIP6

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Deliver an efficient and financially sustainable business model underpinned by high standards of accountability and quality assurance

1. Deliver operational efficiency

2. Ensure our business is focused on continuous improvement


Strategic Goal 5

Ensure sustainability

In an increasingly competitive environment it is essential ACHS maintains a high standard of quality services and products which is underpinned and supported by a sustainable and efficient operational environment. We recognise and value the critical role of our corporate services in providing the strong foundations on which ACHS can grow and expand.

We continually review and reflect on our operations, right across our business, to find new opportunities and ways to work smarter and continually improve our organisation.Continuous improvement is embedded across all areas of ACHS and applies equally to our corporate processes as it does to the delivery of safety and quality in healthcare.

• Ensure rigorous accountability and quality assurance processes are in place to maintain system performance and efficiency• Conduct regular internal evaluations of our processes to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and add value • Demonstrate social and business responsibility by developing an operating model that supports growth, viability and sustainability • Invest in IT infrastructure to support and assist organisational efficiency

Key actions

› ACHS is financially strong and sound

› ACHS always achieves an

unqualified audit

› The operating model for ACHS is

designed for future growth

› ACHS regularly improves and updates

its systems and processes


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Empower our members and stakeholders to deliver quality healthcare by harnessing our data and actively seeking new opportunities to share information and knowledge that will support the delivery of safe, quality healthcare

Strategic Goal 6

Share our knowledge

1. Identify opportunities to enhance safety and quality via the use of data

2. Provide members with meaningful information for their business


The ACHS has a unique opportunity to capitalise on the wealth of data collected from members and create new information and knowledge to support the delivery of quality healthcare. By analysing our data we can identify trends, target and measure key areas of improvement across the industry.ACHS has the potential to create a new wealth of information by unlocking the potential that sits within our databases.

It is through knowledge that we create the power to change and improve. We will help our members grow and shape their organisations to better provide safe quality healthcare by delivering a comprehensive information and knowledge service.

• Enhance our expertise in data analysis to enable us to maximise the potential of our data sources• Translate our data analysis into a compelling information service that will enhance the knowledge of our members and assist them to deliver quality healthcare• Develop industry benchmarks to support our members to assess their performance against current demands and trends in health care delivery • Use our information and knowledge services to identify, promote and share the successes of our members

• Work in partnership with our members to enable them to translate information and knowledge into business and service improvements

Key actions

› An industry recognised benchmarking

program is in place

› Members utilise performance

scorecards to continually challenge

themselves to deliver best practice

› Members translate information into real

improvements for patients

› ACHS workforce recognised for its

expertise in data analysis

› Compelling information services are

published and communicated to

the industry


• Develop performance scorecards by working with industry experts to enable members to compare their performance against similar organisations locally, nationally and internationally • Provide expert advice to report on the current state of healthcare and share this information with the industry to inform future directions for improvement• Create better understanding, through data, research and evidence, on key factors that can deliver better patient outcomes

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Place the quality of patient care, especially patient safety, above all other aims. Engage, empower, and hear patients and carers at all times. Foster whole-heartedly the growth and development of all staff, including their ability and support to improve the processes in which they work.

““

- Don Berwick KBE, MD, MPP, FRCP

President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards5 Macarthur StreetUltimo NSW 2007 AustraliaT: +61 2 9281 9955F: +61 2 9211 9633www.achs.org.au

the australian council on healthcare standards … foreword about achs our vision our mission...

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