Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Description and services offered
CDC is a federal agency that is tasked with the role of performing and supporting health promotion, prevention and health preparedness in the US with the aim of improving the entire public health system. This agency is under the management of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency works together in creating knowledge, information and important tools that people and the entire community requires in safeguarding their health. Some of the popular services that this agency offers to the people include control and prevention of A to Z diseases and Ebola conditions. Following the high prevalence of asthma in children between the ages of 0-17 years, CDC is working in collaboration with health departments so as to bring this disease under control (National Academy of Sciences, 2012).
Partnership
The Joint Commission and the CDC are in a partnership that is geared to adapt, enable and publicize CDC guidance associated with infection prevention and control in the setting of the ambulatory health care system. This is aimed at establishing model infection control plans and expounding on the reach, the uptake and acceptance of these and other more infection prevention and management guidance materials so as to enhance infection prevention in outpatient surroundings.
Accreditation
CDC is accredited by the Public health accreditation board (PHAB). To receive accreditation through PHAB, the CDC has to undergo thorough, all-around peer-reviewed evaluation process so as to ensure that it attains the specific standards and measures. The CDC agency is up to date with the PHAB accreditation program. PHAB was established to serve as a state board of public health that accredits the various departments and agencies within the public health. The program was launched in 2011 and since then, more than 125 health departments and public health practitioners across the nation have applied to PHAB (Riegelman 2015).
Accreditation validity
Once accreditation is awarded to an agency, it is valid for five years if there is no significant transformation in the agencies operations. The CDC agency is up to date with the accreditation by PHAB since they have been submitting an annual report to PHAB where they usually describe their progress in the targeted areas of betterment and its overall quality development efforts. After five years the agency reaccredits themselves by applying for reaccreditation.
Impacts of accreditation
Lack of accreditation may result in poor accountability and lack of credibility among stakeholders within an organization. It may also result in lack of preparedness in an organization and hence health organizations may not be in a position to respond proactively to the emerging and re-emerging health issues.
Through this accreditation, the public health departments including the CDC are being driven into attaining a continuo improvement on the quality of services that they convey to their clients and they ensure that accountability and credibility are adhered to.
Researching a health agency or hospital for a client
While carrying a research for a healthcare or hospital, I would evaluate the access to care, the health care expenditures and processes and the end product of the health care services for the consumer. The hospital or agency will have to meet these three standards, it should care should be accessible, the expenditure should be affordable and fair and the outcomes of the health services offered by the agency or the hospital ought to be good for the client (Steinwachs, & Hughes, 2008). If the health agency or hospital in question meets these three most important aspects, I will definitely recommend it to my client.
References
National Academy of Sciences. (2012). Primary Care and Public Health: Exploring Integration to Improve Population Health. Washington DC.
Riegelman, R. K., & Kirkwood, B. (2015). Public health 101: Healthy people--healthy populations.
Steinwachs, D. M., & Hughes, R. G. (2008). Health services research: Scope and significance.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2014). Keeping You Safe 24-7. USA. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/about/24-7/protectingpeople/index.html
