Student Health Service earns third consecutive perfect accreditation
NDSU is one of less than 300 with accredited SHS in the country.
NDSU’s Student Health Service has again earned a three-year accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). The three-year term is the maximum certification period awarded by the independent, nonprofit organization and reflects continuous improvement in patient-centered care. Since becoming accredited in 2007, this is Student Health Service’s seventh successful survey and its third consecutive review with zero deficiencies, a distinction that illustrates the team’s level of quality care and commitment to the health and well-being of NDSU students.
Health care organizations are not required to participate in the rigorous process of accreditation. Of the approximate 4,000 higher education institutions in the United States, approximately 2,700 of them have health services and less than 300 are accredited. AAAHC accreditation is recognized as a symbol of quality and excellence in health care.
The on-site review assessed 167 standards, with 572 sub-elements encompassing quality, safety, operations and patient care protocols. The surveyor, who has evaluated hundreds of health facilities across the country, noted that she had never encountered a clinic with three consecutive perfect accreditations.
Located in the Wallman Wellness Center, NDSU Student Health Service’s team of highly qualified professionals take a student-centered approach to providing the latest evidenced based care with compassion, respect and openness to each person’s story. The primary care clinic offers preventative, acute, chronic and mental health services. It includes a dietitian, pharmacy, medical laboratory, x-ray and health promotion. Its mission is to provide inclusive, quality health care while promoting overall student well-being.
The Student Health Service also plays a vital role in student’s academic success offering wellness resources, internships, screenings, outreach events and peer education programs that promote lifelong healthy behaviors.
“I am incredibly proud of the staff in Student Health Service and Patricia’s leadership,” said Laura Oster-Aaland, Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Institutional Equity. “We are fortunate to have such an effective service keeping our students healthy.”
“We believe our students deserve the best,” says Patricia Dirk, Director of NDSU Student Health Service “with students at the center of our mission we strive to provide the highest level of care and services possible.”