Step-by-Step Guide to AAHSA Quality First

Members of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) are using AAHSA Quality First as a framework for achieving excellence and earning public trust.

It is important to note that AAHSA Quality First is a self-guided process … with plenty of help from your colleagues, state association and AAHSA.

There is no right or wrong way to engage in AAHSA Quality First, as long as you recognize that aging services can always be improved and that our goal is to earn the public's trust. The beneficiaries of our efforts, of course, are the people that we serve. Our goal is to achieve healthy, affordable and ethical aging services for consumers.

AAHSA offers this Step-by-Step Guide to assist you as you work towards implementing the elements of Quality First. The ultimate goals — achieving excellence and establishing public trust in aging services — can only be accomplished through your efforts. The literature and materials mentioned below are included on the AAHSA Quality First Web site, www.aahsa.org/qualityfirst.

There is no one right way to implement Quality First. You (and your board of trustees) should determine what works best, given your organization's unique structure, strengths and challenges. Likewise, the order of the steps suggested below may vary depending on your organization's needs. You may want to check-off each item as you complete it.

Identifying a Leader

• Aging-services organizations that are most successful with AAHSA Quality First have identified someone to lead the initiative. Identify the person(s) responsible for implementing Quality First in your organization.
• The person leading AAHSA Quality First in your organization should understand the vision of Quality First; demonstrate a commitment to Quality First; communicate effectively with all stakeholders — staff, board of trustees, residents/clients, etc.; have the time to plan and define what is needed; and spearhead getting results.

Becoming Familiar with Quality First

• Review the materials on the AAHSA Quality First Web site, including: Review the materials on the AAHSA Quality First Web site, including: the AAHSA Quality First 10 Elements of Quality, the Self-Study, the Providers’ Checklist and the Housing Providers' Checklist.
• The Web site includes a listing of AAHSA members that have signed the Quality First Covenant; the listing appears alphabetically and by state. You may want to contact these organizations if you have questions.

Involve Your Staff Leadership:

• Introduce the AAHSA Quality First Web site to your staff leadership team. You can begin the meeting with the Quality First PowerPoint slides.
• Share with your staff leadership the Overview; the AAHSA Quality First 10 Elements of Quality; Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); and the Self-Study or Providers' Checklist (depending on what suits your organization best). Discuss and respond to questions.

Involve Your Governing Board:

• Introduce the AAHSA Quality First Web site to your governing board. You can begin the meeting with the Quality First PowerPoint slides.
• Share with your governing board the Overview; the AAHSA Quality First 10 Elements of Quality; Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); and the Self-Study or the Providers' Checklist. Discuss and respond to questions.

Making the Commitment to Quality First

• Sign two copies of the Quality First Covenant; the covenant requires the signatures of your organization's CEO and board chair. Send one copy to AAHSA (AAHSA Quality First, 2519 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008-1520; fax 202-220-0025) and display the other copy in a prominent place in your organization. Your organization's name will be added to the list of AAHSA members who have signed the Quality First Covenant on AAHSA's Quality First Web site.

Applying Quality First to Your Organization

• Establish your Quality First committee (or use an appropriate existing committee) to conduct the Self-Study or the Checklist. The committee should include all key stakeholders, such as staff, residents, family members, community representatives, management and board of trustees. Identify the committee chair.
• The committee should decide who should complete the Self-Study or the Checklist (e.g. staff leadership; other staff; board of trustees; residents or clients) and steps to take after the Self-Study/Checklist has been completed.
• Complete the Self-Study and/or the Providers' Checklist.

Developing a Plan Based on Your Self-Study/Checklist Results

• Review the results of the AAHSA Quality First Self-Study and/or the Providers' Checklist and share with key stakeholders: staff, board of trustees, residents/clients.
• Look at the Quality First Elements of Quality for which your organization ranked generally "high" or "low."
• For the "high" Quality First Elements … celebrate! You may want to share this information with your staff, board of trustees, people you serve and others. And there may be some interesting quality programs that you'll want to share with the media.
• For the "low" Quality First Elements … create an action plan. Start by focusing on one or two of these Quality First Elements for the coming months.
• Prioritize the issues and develop goals and objectives (specifically, what you want to accomplish and why). This plan should build on the strengths as well as addressing the challenges you have identified.

Implementing Your Plan with Resources from AAHSA

• Determine if you need assistance or guidance. AAHSA and your state association can identify resources, members and consultants to assist you as you develop your plan and implement it.
• Identify tools and resources to assist your organization:

  • The Resources Section of the Quality First Web site: Identifies publications, articles, case studies, organizations and Web sites.
  • AAHSA conference educational programs: The "Quality First Education Index" will help you match the education sessions with each Element of Quality.
  • Your state association's conferences.
  • Nursing homes should consider working with the Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign to help them improve quality of life for both nursing home residents and staff.

• Communicate with your counterparts in other aging-services organizations. Call your colleagues to talk about Quality First or meet with them at local, state and national meetings: Discuss: who has signed the Covenant? how are they working to achieve excellence on each of the 10 Elements of Quality? which resources are proving to be most helpful? etc.
• Visit the AAHSA Quality First Web site (www.aahsa.org/qualityfirst) regularly for new information, particularly in the Fact-Sheets and Resources sections.

Making Quality First an Ongoing and Shared Process

• Each quarter, review your Self-Study and/or Providers' Checklist (depending on what path suits your organization best). Determine if there are any changes in the way in which your organization meets each Element of Quality. Then, identify the elements that you should focus your attention on in the coming months.

Telling Your Story

• Consider how to make Quality First an ongoing and shared process within your organization, in the aging services field in general, and in your local community.
• How can you tell your story? In fact, ask your board, management and even your residents/clients, "What is our story?" and "What are we most proud of here?"
• Tell this story to each other in your organization, the local media, community organizations and your fellow providers. Identify newsworthy aspects of your AAHSA Quality First initiative; and visit the AAHSA Quality First Web site's Public Trust section for guidance.

Questions?

• Shared learning is an indispensable component of AAHSA Quality First, and your colleagues are a great resource. Create an informal networking group among other AAHSA members in your community to discuss Quality First and develop success strategies.

  AAHSA's conferences are a great Quality First resource:

  • The Quality First Education Index lists all educational sessions so members can match session topics with each of the AAHSA Quality First 10 Elements of Quality.
  • Special education sessions will meet member needs for information about AAHSA Quality First.

• Many state associations offer programs and their conferences about AAHSA Quality First.
• At AAHSA, the Vice President of Quality First is Bruce Rosenthal; contact Bruce at brosenthal@aahsa.org or 202-508-9499.
  
  
  Last Updated : 5/23/2008 11:32:19 AM