Ensuring excellence: health care quality standards and accreditation systems
Doi: https://doi.org/10.55522/ijti.v4i2.0140
Keywords:
- Quality health care, Accreditation, NABH, JCI, TQM, CQI, Six sigma, Lean methodology.
Abstract
Quality management in healthcare refers to systematic processes aimed at ensuring that healthcare services meet established standards of excellence. Accreditation ensures that institutions can meet patient needs with guaranteed quality thereby reducing medication errors and nosocomial infections and enhancing patient trust. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a comprehensive approach which emphasizes on continuous improvement, customer satisfaction and involvement of all stakeholders in quality initiatives. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is an ongoing process which focusses on improving healthcare services and healthcare outcomes. Six sigma is a data driven methodology that aims to improve quality by reducing variability. Lean focusses on minimizing waste by identifying and eliminating activities that do not add value to the patient. Quality measurement is difficult in health care and various models have been suggested to measure dimensions of health care quality. Quality initiatives enhance perceived care quality whereas accreditation allows better resource utilization, meets population needs and strengthens professional standards.
