Determining the costs of self-study for accreditation: a method and a rationale

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Healthcare Management
• Educational Finance

Background:

• Rising economic pressures are increasing concerns about accreditation costs within health professions educational institutions.
• Effective cost management is crucial for maintaining the quality and accessibility of health professions education.
• Current economic conditions necessitate a re-evaluation of financial strategies in academic healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the challenge of accreditation costs in health professions education.
• To introduce a practical methodology for determining accreditation-related expenses.
• To provide a scalable model for financial assessment in educational institutions.

Main Methods:

• Development of a cost-determination methodology tailored to health professions education.
• Application and validation of the methodology within a specific educational institution.
• Analysis of the methodology's effectiveness in identifying and quantifying accreditation costs.

Main Results:

• Successful application of the proposed cost-determination methodology in a pilot institution.
• Identification of key cost drivers associated with the accreditation process.
• Demonstration of the methodology's potential to inform financial planning and resource allocation.

Conclusions:

• The described methodology offers a viable approach for health professions schools to determine accreditation costs.
• Implementing standardized cost-determination methods can lead to more effective financial management.
• This model can serve as a foundation for other institutions seeking to manage accreditation expenses efficiently.