Board elections at Quality in Practice

Thursday, 20 January 2011

AGPAL and Quality in Practice (QIP) recently elected two long standing and well respected Practice Managers to the Board at their annual general meeting held in December last year.

Mrs Jan Chaffey, Executive Officer at Camp Hill Healthcare, Director of Stat Health Systems (Aust), AAPM Queensland Committee member and honorary life member of the Australasian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ASAM) was elected to the position of Independent Director for both AGPAL and QIP.

Mr Gary Smith, AGPAL board member since 2006 and QIP board member since 2007, AAPM life member and member of several Medicare Australia consultative and working groups was elected to the position of QIP Chair.

With market leading AGPAL currently accrediting more than 75% of accredited general practices in Australia and QIPs recent growth accrediting both diagnostic imaging and physiotherapy and soon to provide accreditation for dentistry and retirement villages, a well represented Board with relevant industry experience is essential.

Mrs Chaffey, a past National President of AAPM with almost 30 years experience as a Practice Manager, accepted the position, confident her passion for the profession and desire to promote the significance of accreditation will deliver continual quality improvement.

“To ensure quality outcomes and patient safety are achieved and maintained, we must continue to encourage and support the understanding of industry standards in relation to achieving and maintaining accreditation,” Mrs Chaffey said.

“With the recent growth of QIP this is certainly an exciting and challenging time to represent health care professionals in their achievement of accreditation and their delivery of improved service to the wider community.”

Mr Gary Smith, a former AAPM National President and NSW State President with more than 25 years experience in Practice Management, accepted the position of QIP Chair.

“My experience as an Independent Director of the AGPAL Board since 2006 together with my recent appointment to the position of QIP Chair will allow me to ensure we deliver accreditation aimed at maintaining quality improvement services that enhance people’s safety, health and well-being here in Australia and overseas,” Mr Smith said.

“I look forward to working with QIP clients and representing their interests as their Board Chair.”

Both Mrs Chaffey and Mr Smith bring with them an extensive amount of Practice Management experience together with representation on a number of relevant industry Boards, committees and working parties.

Their experience is welcomed as AGPAL and QIP continue to lead the industry in the provision of professional, uncomplicated and worry-free accreditation.