OTTAWA, Nov. 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Health Standards Organization (HSO) has officially been accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to develop National Standards of Canada in health and social services. HSO is the only Standards Development Organization in Canada solely dedicated to developing health and social service standards.

"HSO is very pleased to have achieved this important designation from the SCC.  Setting health and social services standards for Canadians is a responsibility we take very seriously and we look forward to delivering on our new mandate with pride and excellence," said HSO Chief Executive Officer Leslee Thompson. "This helps fulfill our mandate to unleash the power and potential of people around the world who share our passion for achieving quality health services for all."

Standards are all around us: from automobile safety to energy performance standards for light bulbs. With this announcement, HSO is uniquely positioned to focus exclusively on health or social service standards developed by health and social service experts, patients and families, policy makers and subject matter experts. Previously, this had been up to the discretion of associations, provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, individual hospitals, or clinics. HSO was created in order to advocate for the importance of and create nationally recognized, rigorous standards.

"Whether you are going to the ER in Whitehorse or Toronto or have to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance in Montreal or St. John's, Canadians should expect the same set of health standards across the country," continued Thompson.

What are some examples of an HSO health and social service standard?

• Integrated Health Services
• Medication Management
• Indigenous Health
• Primary Health Care
• Mental Health and Addictions
• Care in the Community and Home
• Technology Enabled Health
• Assessment Methodologies
• Academic Health Centres and Clinical Research
• Communication in Health Services
• Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Why do health and social service standards matter?

• To ensure consistency in the health care and social service system across Canada.
• To guarantee accountability and prevent negligence in our health care and social service facilities.
• To ensure that patients lived-experiences with our health care and social services inform and improve on how we deliver outcomes.

"From having a baby in a hospital to placing a relative in an assisted living facility, health and social services impact every Canadian at different stages of their lives," concluded Thompson. "Standards ensure that the care we and our families receive is the best it can possibly be."

HSO is a global organization focused on developing world-class standards, innovative assessment programs, and other methodologies to enable health and social service providers in Canada and around the world to save and improve lives. HSO has more than 10 technical committees with over 200 members who design the standards. HSO's technical committees include: patients with lived-experience, clinicians, administrators, academics and expert policy makers to ensure that they co-design, develop and deliver the best possible products and services.