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Hospital accreditation in Europe
1CASPE Research, London.
World Hospitals and Health Services : the Official Journal of the International Hospital Federation
|December 8, 1997
Summary
Hospital accreditation systems, involving self-assessment and external surveys, improve healthcare quality and resource management. These programs offer integrated quality management, benefiting hospitals across diverse health systems and increasing public trust.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Quality Improvement
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Health service accreditation involves hospitals assessing themselves against explicit standards, followed by external surveyor reviews and recommendations.
- Initial skepticism from European government and medical organizations regarding cost and clinical relevance gradually shifted as benefits became evident.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact and growing acceptance of health service accreditation systems in Europe.
- To highlight the role of accreditation in improving quality and resource management within healthcare organizations.
Main Methods:
- Hospitals engage in self-assessment against established standards.
- External surveyors conduct site visits and provide feedback reports.
- Accreditation status is determined by an independent assessment board based on performance.
Main Results:
- Accreditation demonstrates value for hospitals, purchasers, insurers, and professional bodies.
- It provides a unified framework, bridging fragmented systems like safety inspections and service monitoring.
- Benefits include enhanced quality management, resource optimization, and improved visibility to stakeholders.
Conclusions:
- Health service accreditation offers a valuable mechanism for integrated quality management in hospitals.
- Its adoption benefits diverse healthcare settings and is gaining traction across Europe.
- Accreditation fosters multi-professional collaboration and enhances accountability.