Development of accreditation modules based on hospital types in Iran: Protocol for a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Quality Improvement
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Hospital accreditation is a global standard for enhancing healthcare quality and safety.
• Current accreditation standards in Iran are uniform, posing challenges for diverse hospital types and sizes.
• This uniformity has led to significant operational issues within Iranian hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify challenges posed by uniform accreditation standards in Iranian hospitals.
• To develop a new, adaptable accreditation model suitable for Iran's diverse hospital landscape.
• To improve the effectiveness of hospital accreditation as a quality improvement tool.

Main Methods:

• Phase 1: Interviews with stakeholders to identify specific challenges and potential modifications for smaller hospitals.
• Phase 2: A comprehensive scoping review of international hospital accreditation models.
• Phase 3: Application of the Delphi technique to validate the proposed model and accreditation modules.

Main Results:

• Identification of key challenges arising from the one-size-fits-all approach to hospital accreditation.
• Development of a novel accreditation model tailored to the specific characteristics of Iranian hospitals.
• Validation of the proposed model and its components through expert consensus using the Delphi technique.

Conclusions:

• The developed accreditation model offers a more appropriate framework for evaluating hospital services in Iran.
• Implementation of this tailored model is expected to enhance the quality and safety of healthcare delivery.
• The study provides a foundation for refining accreditation processes to better suit local healthcare contexts.