What is Hospital accreditation?

According to the Joint Commission International, one of the most respected accreditation bodies, to implement international quality standards around the world you should define ‘accreditation’ as “a process in which an entity, separate and distinct from the healthcare organization, usually nongovernmental, assesses the healthcare organization to determine if it meets a set of requirements (standards) designed to improve the safety and quality of care”.

The international accreditation process is mostly a management decision (not necessarily health government’s mandate) by the healthcare facility to demonstrate to its patients that they are complying with the highest standards of quality, based on international and stringent criterion. It is not necessarily mandatory for any healthcare organization to seek such accreditation.

The fact that a healthcare facility has gone through the rigorous preparations in order to be bestowed with a stamp of accreditation proves that they are making a commitment to patient safety and care.

They are aiming to ensure a safe and caring environment for their patients, supplying their doctors with the highest quality training and resources to provide the utmost medical care to their patients. Hospitals and clinics who implement these high standards of quality are endlessly looking for opportunities to improve their facilities. They develop continuous improvement programs for their staff, and utilize all patient evaluation data in bettering the organization.

Hospital Accreditation provides transparent and clear data to patients

The outcome of various treatments within a hospital or clinic is information that should be shared with the public. Usually, healthcare facilities are worried about their reputation and do not want to disclose any information that might put their organization in a negative light. However, accredited organizations can easily provide all the information a patient would require because they are complying with all the safety and quality standards required of a superior facility.

The data made available to the public can help patients differentiate between hospitals that are able to retain a high success rate and those that can’t. This is an essential factor in the patient’s decision of where to seek care, and this could potentially affect your entire life. The data provided by the accredited hospitals should act as benchmark figures that you can use when comparing hospitals (abroad and locally). The information can also be used as a guideline for other facilities who want to try and improve their services.



Hospital Accreditation Respects patients’ opinions

A factor that may attract individuals to an accredited organization is the importance they place on patients. An accredited hospital believes in the motto of patient-centred care and treats the patient as the most important stakeholder. In facilities such as these, open communication is encouraged between the patients and hospital staff (including the management).

Through the use of patient feedback, direct communication and customer surveys, these hospitals take the patient’s opinions extremely seriously and try to implement all their suggestions for improvement at the facility.

Besides listening to the patient’s needs, accredited hospitals encourage the patient to be part of the medical team. The physicians and other healthcare providers discuss with the patient their treatment options rather than just stamping them with a diagnosis and prescription. Getting the patient to be part of the medical team empowers the patient and ensures compliance from their end, which in turn enhances the course of treatment.



Hospital Accreditation creates a culture of learning and sharing

Accredited hospitals aim to create a culture where information is shared throughout the facility and knowledge is imparted. If physicians or other healthcare providers make a mistake, they are required to report it immediately instead of covering it up. Once this culture is appropriately implemented, there will be no secrets and surprises, as every error made is immediately cleared up and steps are taken to learn from these mistakes.

This will in turn enhance the safety of the organization as all adverse events will be dealt with as soon as they happen. These new safety regulations will in turn benefit the patient as you can be assured that you are seeking care from an organization that takes the issue of patient safety and security very seriously.   



Hospital Accreditation examples from around the world

Each region around the world will have a different method and diverse processes to implement accreditation policies in their facility. The U.S has very strict accreditation regulations with the majority of hospitals being accredited by Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO —a private non-profit organization). JCAHO has accredited 17,000 healthcare organizations and programs which shows how committed the facilities are to providing quality care for their patients. 

A few European countries namely France, Belgium and Scotland have accreditation programs that are implemented by the government officials to ensure quality standards are being met. France has been ranked by the WHO as having the best healthcare system in the world, and has a high rate of patient satisfaction. France has ‘La Haute Autorite de Sante’ which is the local governmental accreditation body.

The UK operates an effective system of healthcare facility accreditation via the Healthcare Accreditation and Quality Unit (HAQU), which was previously referred to as the Health Quality Service. This accrediting body specializes in the administration of healthcare organizations and implements appropriate regulations for its effective management.

South Africa has contracted with the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa, a non-profit organization that implements the accreditation policies in the nation. The cost of the accreditation is borne by the region in where the facility is located which makes the process of accreditation appealing to hospitals. Canada has implemented a similar procedure with the government contracting with Accreditation Canada which is an independent body that operates in a manner similar to JCI.

India, which has catapulted to becoming one of the most popular medical tourism destinations, has its own accreditation body known as the National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare Providers. It falls under the umbrella of the Quality Council of India which has been established to benchmark the quality of healthcare standards within India.