Organizations are asked to meet a common set of Organizational Standards, as well as standards specific to their primary health care programs and services.
The Organizational Standards look at the whole organization, and cover things like governance, management, planning and evaluation, quality improvement, and important risk management functions. The standards also look for person-centred services, a strength-based approach, health equity, accessibility of services, and engagement and responsiveness to the communities served.
The Community-Based Primary Health Care Standards apply to the organization’s community-based primary health care programs and services. The standards in this module are founded on an encompassing view of primary health care. Primary health care is broader than primary care, and is participatory in nature, involving individuals and their community in improving their health and health care.
The module assesses areas such as health promotion, community capacity building, access to services, continuity and coordination of services, client advocacy and inter-professional work, and looks for a proactive approach to client safety and management of service-related risk. It pushes organizations to plan their services in response to the needs of communities served, addressing health disparities and considering social determinants of health.
