Promoting Accreditation of Hospitals

By
Surgeon Rear Admiral (Retd) VK Singh, VSM
Senior Advisor CII, Institute of Quality

In last two decades health is witnessing biggest transition ever in health care industry, the approach towards health care has changed in public and private sector. It is due to decreasing government funding in health care, increase cost consumerism, private business interest in health care and awareness among the population which is looking for quality.

Accreditation is ultimate certification of health quality which should have been initiated there decades back but has gathered momentum now because of market force and demand of the clientele. The initiative is just one year old and six hospitals have been accredited, while forty more have applied. All hospitals except one accredited are corporate hospitals while one is trust hospital.

The initiative of accreditation need to be promoted and its benefit should be explained to all stakeholders to achieve better quality health care. The myth that to get accreditation means additional expenditure and budget needs to be changed as initial small investment would bring return many fold on investment hospital by increasing patient load. National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health Care Providers has laid down 503 standards to be implemented in a hospital for accreditation, 85% of these do not require any additional budget but formulating Standing Operating Procedures and its implementation, development of clinical protocols and putting system in place. It means to improve quality, ‘Will’ of the management, training of medical personnel and sustaining it by continuous quality improvement is required for accreditation. The promotion of accreditation is to be for the benefit and safety of patients, improve image of the hospital by value addition, better patient satisfaction and financial return to the hospital . The drivers of accreditation are to be understood for promotion as some of these drivers would force hospitals to go for accreditation. Every stakeholder would vouch that quality medical care is a necessity and should be provided for the benefit of every person and organisation in the system. The need of accreditation should be explained to each stakeholder and following multi sectoral approach should be considered to promote accreditation for the benefit of community:-

  • Confidence of community and health care providers in accreditation to be built by educating every one that, it is a win-win situation for everyone by providing patient safety and excellence.
  • Value addition and building brand image of the hospital, so that staff has feeling of satisfaction by joining elite club of accredatation, thus boosting ego and self esteem of health care providers.
  • Community and market forces demand better quality of health care.
  • Improving return on investment by increasing patient load by promoting quality, excellence and benchmarking.
  • The 'Waste' can be reduced by applying 'Lean' thus cost wise quality becomes self sustaining.
  • Health insurance in future is likely to be available only to the accredited hospitals.
  • Empanelment of accredited hospitals for Central Government Health Services beneficiaries and corporate organisation who are looking for accredited hospitals to take care of its employees.
  • Medical tourism definitely looking for accredited hospitals. Many corporate hospitals have up to 15% foreign patients under treatment.
  • Regulation like Consumer Protection Act, Right to Information and in future Clinical Establishment Bill under discussion at parliament is likely to force hospitals to adopt quality, and achieve minimum acceptable standards.

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