Accreditation of health service network: challenges and perspectives

The article presents the experience of applying a quality assessment manual of standards for the quality of care in two Brazilian municipal districts, Londrina and Marília, and Cali and Barranquilla, in Colombia. The assessment model applied was health care network accreditation and it applied standards related to institutional management, health care delivery, and network financial and legal aspects. The objective of this tool is to offer appropriate methodology to assess the quality of care provided to municipal districts and service networks in general, seeking their improvement. The municipal districts applied the manual in part of their network, and indicated positive aspects and those that needed improvement. The inherent systemic vision of the accreditation methodology was considered appropriate to focus on a network or health system. In view of the implementation of health system reform in both countries that included a decentralization process and the need for municipal districts to assess the quality of service delivery, the accreditation methodology can become a highly useful tool for municipal health system management.