Pima County Health Department announced today that it has achieved national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). The national accreditation program works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and ultimately transforming the quality and performance of the nation’s state, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments.
The Pima County Health Department is one of 134 health departments that have achieved accreditation through PHAB since the organization launched in 2011 and is one of three counties in Arizona to reach this achievement.
“We are pleased and excited to be recognized for the forward thinking and high quality work that these national standards represent,” said Francisco García, director and chief medical officer of the Pima County Health Department. “The accreditation process helps to ensure that the programs and services we provide are responsive to the needs of our community. With accreditation, the Health Department is demonstrating increased accountability and credibility to the public, funders, elected officials and partner organizations with which we work”
To receive accreditation, a health department must undergo a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures.
“Whenever you see the seal of accreditation, you will know that the Pima County Health Department has been rigorously examined and meets or exceeds national standards that promote continuous quality improvement for public health,” Jan Lesher, Deputy County Administrator for Health and Community Services said. “By continuing to improve our services and performance, we can be sure we are meeting the public health needs of those we serve as effectively as possible.”
“Becoming a nationally accredited health department demonstrates to current and future funders the high level of quality public health services that is provided for all residents in Pima County,” said Paul R. Horwitz, MD, President, Pima County Board of Health. “As a Board, we value and respect the dedication of the Health Department staff. This accomplishment reflects their fundamental commitment to improve the quality of life for the members of this community, today and for generations to come.”
Public health departments play a critical role in protecting and improving the health of people and communities.
“The peer-review process provides valuable feedback to inform health departments of their strengths and areas for improvement, so that they can better protect and promote the health of the people they serve in their communities,” PHAB CEO Kaye Bender said. “Residents of a community served by a nationally accredited health department can be assured that their health department has demonstrated the capacity to protect and promote the health of that community.”
The national accreditation program, jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation’s nearly 3,000 governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance.