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Convenient Care Association, Jefferson Medical College Certify Member Convenient Care Clinics

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 February 2009, 09:00 CST

Retail Clinic Members Meet Strict Quality and Safety Standards

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Convenient Care Association (CCA), the retail clinic industry's member-based organization, today announced to its Board of Directors that its member clinics are certified and in compliance with the Association's Quality and Safety Standards.

The Association's Board of Directors adopted its Quality and Safety Standards in March of 2007 with input from national medical, nursing and accrediting organizations, as well as its Clinical Advisory Board. A condition for Association membership is an agreement to comply with the Standards. The Association contracted with the Jefferson School of Population Health to administer the official member certification program because of its expertise in the evaluation of health policies and systems that improve the health of populations.

This certification process marks the first time that a national third-party health care leader of Jefferson's expertise has confirmed that CCA members are meeting the retail-health industry's 10 quality and safety standards. In addition to its academic programs, the Jefferson School of Population Health is recognized for academic research, continuing professional education and research and consulting services.

Existing certification reviews are conducted on an on-going basis, so new members will continuously become certified and certified members will be re-evaluated every two years.

"The Convenient Care Association congratulates its membership for this important milestone," said Chip Phillips, CCA board president and president of MinuteClinic.

Every clinic operator that is part of the Convenient Care Association has made a commitment to its Quality and Safety Standards. The majority of the membership is certified through the joint CCA/Jefferson certification process. Some members, such as CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic, have become accredited through The Joint Commission, while CCA's hospital and health system members comply with their internal certification processes.

"This certification by Jefferson ensures that our member clinics have policies and procedures in place that reflect the Association's Quality and Safety Standards." said Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the Convenient Care Association, which represents 95 percent of the retail-based convenient care clinics in the United States.

The Convenient Care Association's Quality and Safety Standards address such issues as monitoring quality at each clinic, encouraging patients to establish relationships with primary care providers and establishing emergency response procedures. For the full listing of the Quality and Safety Standards, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/ccastandards.

Sandra Ryan, CCA Clinical Advisory Board chair and Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer for Take Care Health Systems added, "This certification is a true testament to the industry's continued commitment to work together to ensure quality standards are met for the greater good of individuals seeking health care services across the United States."

"This is an important step by the members of the Convenient Care Association," said Dr. Paul Schyve from The Joint Commission. "We commend CCA for establishing this process toward ensuring quality of care is delivered to patients."

As part of the Association's Quality and Safety Standards, member clinics are required to use electronic health records, which uniquely positions the industry as a leader in this innovative technology. Electronic records are a primary reform goal for achieving increased healthcare efficiency under the Obama administration.

"The retail clinic industry is a trailblazer in the adoption of new technologies, such as electronic health records, that are enhancing continuity of care as well as contributing to the tracking and trending of healthcare outcomes," said Dr. David Nash, dean of the Jefferson School of Population Health.

CCA members also follow OSHA, CLIA, HIPAA, ADA and CDC requirements and guidelines and are held to strict criteria for credentialing providers, tracking patient satisfaction and referring patients to appropriate levels of care based upon their condition.

Convenient care clinics provide routine care for common illnesses, including prescriptions when appropriate. They are open seven days a week, including extended weekday hours, and are located near pharmacies in retail locations. No appointment is necessary and most visits last less than 20 minutes. If a patient has a condition that is outside the scope of conditions treated at a CCC, staff will refer to them to another medical professional.

Thomas Jefferson University

Thomas Jefferson University, the largest freestanding academic medical center in Philadelphia, is composed of Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson School of Population Health and Jefferson College of Health Professions - which includes the Schools of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Professions. Jefferson is regarded nationally as one of the best universities offering a range of comprehensive programs for the education of health professions. The three colleges and one school enroll more than 2,900 future physicians, scientists and health care professionals. Thomas Jefferson University partners with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, its education and clinical care affiliate.

About the Convenient Care Association

The Convenient Care Association is a national non-profit organization comprised of leaders of the retail-based convenient care industry. CCA members operate more than 95 percent of the convenient care clinics in the United States, which today includes more than 1,000 clinics in 30 states. For more information or to find a clinic near you, please visit www.ccaclinics.org.

SOURCE Convenient Care Association

Source: PR Newswire

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