Maine Accreditation Preparation Experience

Maine organized an Accreditation Council in May of 2011 to support the health department's efforts to prepare for accreditation. One primary tool we have used is a spreadsheet for organizing documentation that was shared by a colleague from the Performance Improvement Managers (PIM) Network. Having the ability to re-use materials created by others has contributed to a more effective achievement of goals. This collaboration has really built capacity among all members of PIM network.

Specifically in Maine, a lot of templates, strategies, and approaches to overcoming barriers in other states have been shared and we're those using to improve our processes. In September, we had outside reviewers come for a mock assessment of our accreditation documentation. We have been working with the report from that mock assessment to identify areas where we need to improve our capacity before formally applying to PHAB. I will talk about the documentation tracking tools, the mock review, and how we in Maine have used the PIM Network to support our readiness efforts.