Accreditation is one of the main evaluation tools used by healthcare institutions to enhance the quality, safety, and efficiency of services provided to patients. It is so important that it has a day dedicated to certification.
Annually, on June 9th, the International Accreditation Forum and the ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) celebrate World Accreditation Day with a different theme.
And to make sure this date does not go unnoticed, we decided to highlight 4 things you need to know about Accreditation.
1) Accrediting Institutes
Currently, there are various accrediting institutes that should be selected according to the specificities and objectives of the institution seeking accreditation.
Accreditation Canada, from Canada, offers international hospital accreditation based on the principles of Evidence-Based Medicine, Clinical Governance, and Reduction of Staff Overload.
HIMSS, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, is an international non-profit organization. Its main function is to improve healthcare assistance with the support of technology.
Another accrediting body is JCI, Joint Commission International, an American company considered one of the main accrediting organizations. It aims to improve patient care, create better working conditions for professionals, and enhance internal management.
The National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations, also American, focuses on optimizing hospital outcomes. Despite not being Brazilian, it has significant credibility in the national context.
There is also the Amil Accreditation Program, focused on dentistry companies, and QMentum, a Canadian company that meets global biosafety requirements and maximizes the quality of medical services.
Finally, the most well-known in Brazil, the National Accreditation Organization (ONA), is considered the main accrediting body in the country, whose certification is a source of great prestige.
2) Alignment
For Accreditation to take place, processes and teams need to be aligned. It is a process that requires the dedication of all collaborators, even those whose processes will not be directly audited.
Joint efforts must also be managed appropriately and balanced, ensuring that all professionals are ready to recognize problems and map out ways to improve them.
3) Benefits
Accreditation ensures the safety of patients and healthcare professionals and significantly increases the quality of services provided, directly impacting financial results.
Throughout the preparation, there is integration between different departments and healthcare professionals, unifying their interests and objectives. Additionally, it improves working conditions and reflects positively on the organizational climate.
The continuous improvement driven by internal and external audits, along with the accreditation certificate, provides brand recognition for the hospital or clinic, differentiating it in the market.
Achieving the Accreditation certificate is synonymous with a constant pursuit of innovation, quality, and health.
4) Why pursue Accreditation?
Although not mandatory, as mentioned earlier, Accreditation lends more credibility to your institution.
It demonstrates seriousness and concern in providing services to clients, contributes to the alignment of internal processes, and establishes standards.
For private institutions, in addition to the aforementioned reasons, it positions the brand as innovative, potentially distinguishing it from other competitors.
Moreover, studies conducted by the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo showed that among the 5 hospitals in São Paulo studied, all of them noticed increased productivity and patient satisfaction levels after Accreditation.
However, the adoption of this certification by Brazilians is still considered low. Being a voluntary certification, there is still resistance or even disinterest.
In 2021, for example, the percentage of certified Brazilian hospitals represented only 6.5% of the total, and in three years, the growth in numbers was only 174 hospitals. (Data from DataSUS)
What is missing to submit your company to the Accreditation audit?
Visit our website and check out our solutions and ebooks on the subject.
Author:
Bianca Wermann
Journalist, Communication and Marketing Analyst at Interact Solutions.
