Above all things, quality is a priority for AHCA and our members. Priorities are driven by Principles, which have the power to hold facilities accountable as well as guide an organization’s daily operations and interactions with residents, patients, families, staff and the public. 

As such, the first component and foundation of Quality First, Keeping the Promise’s 7-5-5 Plan is a set of targeted, yet comprehensive, Principles. These Principles form a model for every AHCA member – a model specifically designed to create a well-rounded organization that achieves quality on organizational and individual levels.

1. Patient, Resident and Family Rights. Residents and patients are the heart of everything long term care providers do. We believe a quality facility embodies the critical importance of person-centered care and focus on individual outcomes for each service provided. 
2. Continuous Quality Improvement. We believe achieving excellence is an ongoing process. In long term care, continuous quality improvement requires that a facility emphasizes a step-by-step approach to improve quality indicators while using objective data to analyze and improve these processes.
3. Ethical Practices. Long term care facilities and staff members must operate on a foundation of trust, integrity and compassion. In doing so, patients, residents, and caregivers have a voice in the decisions that affect them. Facility staff members have the proper training and skills and are equitably compensated.
4. Public Disclosure and Accountability. As long term care providers, we have a responsibility to share information with our consumers (i.e., residents, patients and their families). We believe every facility should encourage transparency of information when sharing data with residents, patients and their families as well as sources of state and federal funding. By doing so, every AHCA member can be held accountable for meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of the government, of the profession, and of residents and patients.
5. Workforce Excellence. Your employees are your most valuable asset. A strong long term care organization empowers organizational leaders and develops a stable, qualified, compassionate and well-trained workforce.
6. Public Input and Community Involvement. The community and the area’s long term care facilities are interconnected.  We believe providers should strive to be active members of the community, promoting themselves as health care professionals, becoming involved in community-based activities, and sustaining a robust philanthropy program.
7. Financial Stewardship. The majority of long term care funding originates from the government via Medicare and Medicaid.  As a profession, we must strive to use these resources responsibly, while working with federal and state agencies and the Congress to ensure funding is adequate and stable.