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Standards of Excellence
Via Christi Clinic encourages our physicians to attain board certification and we work to meet national standards to qualify for accreditation for our buildings, employees and services. Members of our medical staff also actively attend educational programs to become more knowledgeable about new techniques and technology.
Board Certifications
What does it mean for a physician to be board certified?
A board certification means that a physician has received certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The American Board of Medical Specialties is a non-profit organization that oversees 24 boards for 145 specialties and subspecialties of medicine, and is considered the gold standard of certification. While each individual specialty board overseen by the ABMS sets its own requirements for certification, baseline requirements by the ABMS for certification by all specialty boards include the following: (Source: ABMS.org)
- Completion of the required predoctoral medical education
- Completion of required training in an accredited residency program
- Assessment and documentation of individual performance from the residency training director or the chief of service in the hospital where the specialist practices
- A license to practice medicine in an institution or an unrestricted license
Learn more about board certifications by visiting the American Board of Medical Specialties website.
Does a board certification last forever or do physicians have to be recertified?
When they were originally issued board certifications did not have an expiration date, but in recognition of advancing skill-sets and technology, reaccreditation (Maintenance of Certification®) is now required by all boards overseen by the ABMS. Recertification is required to maintain board certification and physicians undergo recertification every six to ten years, depending on their specialty. To be recertified, a physician must show an advancement of skills from their original certification and subsequent recertifications. They are also required to show proof of continuing education.
Learn more about the recertification process by visiting the American Board of Medical Specialties webpage on recertification.
How do I know if my Via Christi Clinic physician is board certified?
Via Christi Clinic strives to maintain accurate information about the status of our physicians’ board certifications. If a physician is board certified, you will be able to find the certification on that individual physician’s biography page. Not only will it tell you if a physician is board certified, it will also tell you which specialty board has certified them. This information is especially important to you as a patient for any specialty care you may receive because it tells you that the physician has been certified to practice within that specific specialty, and not just as a general practitioner.
Via Christi Clinic distributes news releases announcing certifications and recertifications to the media, and posts them on our website to make the public aware of when certification or recertification has occurred.
You can also visit the American Board of Medical Specialties website and check your physicians’ board certification on their site. (Requires a user registration)
View our alphabetical staff listing
View our news releases
Accreditation
What is accreditation and who accredits Via Christi Clinic?
Accreditation means that an organization has been certified as meeting certain requirements set by a third party source.
Via Christi Clinic is accredited by the Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), a non-profit national organization that accredits over 3800 health institutions across the country. Accreditation is a voluntary process through which an organization is able to measure the quality of its services and performance against nationally recognized standards. AAAHC is a leader in developing standards to advance and promote patient safety, quality, value and measurement of performance for ambulatory health care through peer-based accreditation processes, education and research. The accreditation process involves self-assessment by the organization, as well as a thorough review by the Accreditation Association's expert surveyors, who themselves have extensive experience in the ambulatory health care environment. Surveys are conducted at a maximum of every three years and require a thorough review of an organization’s policies and procedures. Some of the standards to participate in the survey include the following: (Source: AAAHC.org)
- Formally organized and legally constituted entity that primarily provides health care services
- In compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations
- Licensed by the state in which it is located
- Provides health care services under the direction of one of the following health care professionals:
- Doctor of medicine or osteopathy (MD/DO)
- Doctor of dental surgery or dental medicine (DDS/DMD)
- Doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM)
- Doctor of optometry (OD)
- Doctor of chiropractic (DC)
- Shares the facilities, equipment, business management, and records involved in patient care among members of the organization
- Operates in compliance with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Rules and Regulations.
What does the AAAHC look for when surveying Via Christi Clinic?
AAAHC expects Via Christi Clinic to meet nationally set standards in the followings areas:
Patient Rights, Governance, Administration, Quality of Care Provided, Quality Management and Improvement, Clinical Records and Health Information, Professional Improvement, Facilities and Environment, Anesthesia Services, Surgical and Related Services, Overnight Care and Services, Dental Services, Immediate/Urgent Care Services, Pharmaceutical Services, Pathology and Other Medical Lab Services, Diagnostic and Other Imaging Services, Occupational Health Services, and Health Education and Health Promotion. Visit the AAAHC’s website to see some of the questions AAAHC considers within each of these areas, and that you should consider as well.
How do I know that Via Christi Clinic has achieved accreditation?
Via Christi Clinic was surveyed in summer of 2011 and received notice of reaccreditation for the maximum three year period. You will also know that Via Christi Clinic is accredited by our right to use the AAAHC’s accreditation logo on our website and printed materials. Use of this logo is only given after certification or recertification and is a symbol to you of the high standards we are required to meet by the AAAHC in providing your care.
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