Saturday, October 11, 2008

Health center passes review

T.S. Last El Defensor Chieftain General Manager, tslast@dchieftain.com

Alamo Navajo Health Center passed its checkup with flying colors.

The health center, located on Alamo Navajo Indian Reservation, recently earned accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

According to a release, AAAHC accreditation is for organizations that provide diagnostic or medical care on an outpatient basis. Accreditation means that Alamo Health Center has met nationally recognized standards for quality health care.

"We're very proud," said Patricia Renfro, health services director for Alamo Navajo Health Center. "It took the entire clinic staff and not just one person or one doctor; it's everyone who is employed in the health service division."

The health center underwent an extensive self-assessment and an on-site survey performed by AAAHC expert surveyors.

"You have to go through quite a bit of paperwork and satisfy regulatory requirements to achieve licensure," Renfro said. "In meeting those standards, it assures that people get better health service and patient care through coordination of resources. It links our clinic with other health services in state, which is sometimes difficult because of our remoteness. We are not next to a hospital that offers a lot of things. We have to go the extra mile to get things done."

Renfro said center is one of 17 accredited clinics in the state, six of which are American Indian clinics.

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