MSU's Vinson Health Center Receives Accreditation, Will Host Open House

The Vinson Health Center at Midwestern State University has reason to celebrate. It received full accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care Inc. In conjunction with the announcement and with Stampede Week at MSU, the health center will host an open house from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, with refreshments and tours of the center.

"This is a huge accomplishment for our first time around - only 15 percent of all schools are AAAHC accredited," said medical office manager Tiffany Kosse.

Dr. Keith Williamson, director of the center, said that since its opening, the center has looked for ways to deliver quality health care to MSU students. The accreditation has given validation to their efforts. "For years, we've been upgrading and looking for quality ways to deliver care consistently and because of those years of preparation and documentation, we were able to meet the AAAHC standards." 

Williamson credited the staff at the health center for their hard work and cooperation throughout the process. "This took a lot of work, and they all bought into achieving this goal," he said. "We wrote policy describing practices we were already following, and submitted reams of paper to document our practices."

The Vinson Health Center provides care to MSU students with acute illness or injuries. Employees of the center also emphasize prevention of illnesses so that students can maintain a priority on their studies and campus life.

"You work hard, and peers and professionals recognize that your policies are sound, your records are well-kept, and your finances are in order," Williamson said. "It's a nice feather in our cap."

According to the AAAHC website, the accreditation process is an external, independent review of a health care delivery organization against nationally-accepted standards and its own policies, procedures, processes and outcomes. Accreditation means that the organization participates in ongoing self-evaluation, peer reviews, and education to continuously improve its care and services. The organization also commits to a thorough, on-site survey by AAAHC surveyors, who are themselves health care professionals, at least every three years.

The AAAHC is a private, nonprofit organization formed in 1979 to assist ambulatory health care organizations improve the quality of care by establishing, reviewing, and revising standards, measuring performance, and providing consultation and education.