By Nimrah Kiyani
Women’s College Hospital (WCH)’s Accreditation Canada survey is scheduled for December 5-9th, 2022. During their onsite visit, surveyors will use a methodology called “tracer” to assess the hospital against their standards of excellence. During tracers, surveyors assess and validate their findings by asking questions, reviewing records, and making observations.
To familiarize staff and physicians with the tracer methodology, a number of practice opportunities, known as Mock Tracers, will be provided. Designated Tracer Teams, comprised of two WCH leaders, will meet with staff either in their work areas or virtually to go over several questions related to the Accreditation standards. Tracer Teams will also make observations about the behaviours they see and the physical environment of the area for Mock Tracers occurring in person. The goal is to get everyone comfortable with answering questions of this nature, identity team strengths, as well as opportunities for improvement. Tracer Teams are interested in celebrating what WCH staff know – it’s not a test of whether staff know the “right” answer. Tracer Teams enjoy meeting staff they don’t typically work with and learning about other programs and Departments. Mock Tracers are also a great way to increase everyone’s awareness of Accreditation requirements.
How Mock Tracers will work
- Your Manager will schedule a Mock Tracer based on the best time for your team. Teams will know in advance when a Mock Tracer is scheduled in their area.
- Two WCH leaders will be assigned as the Tracer Team for your area.
- On the day of the Mock Tracer, the Tracer Team will spend a total of 90 minutes in your area, with the first 20-30 minutes with your Manager.
- For in-person tracers, Tracer Teams will come to where you work and spend a few minutes with each person they encounter. For virtual tracers (suitable for teams that work remotely) staff will receive a meeting invitation.
- Once the Mock Tracer is complete, the Tracer Team will connect briefly with the Manager to debrief and send a high-level summary that can be shared with all members of the team, even those that were not able to participate.
- Mock Tracers will be scheduled from July to October 2022.
Preparing for the Mock Tracer
No preparation is needed for a Mock Tracer, but staff may want to review Accreditation 2022 Q-Tips in advance. Q-Tips are pocket-sized cards that outline key information about a WCH process in a short, digestible format. They are available electronically and in hard copy. You can also review the following Mock Tracer resources:
- Mock Tracers Handout for Staff
- Frequently Asked Questions for Mock Tracers
- Sample checklist of questions for Clinical Areas (for Mock Tracers)
If you have questions about Mock Tracers, please contact Nimrah.Kiyani@wchospital.ca. To learn more about Accreditation, visit the Accreditation Intranet Hub.