1. What is NABH International accreditation?
NABH International is the international affiliate of National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of Quality Council of India, which was set up to establish and operate an accreditation program for healthcare organizations in a wide spectrum covering hospitals, clinics, spas, wellness centers, blood banks, laboratories, diagnostic centers and dental clinics. NABH is structured to cater to the needs of patients and to set benchmarks for the progress of the healthcare industry.
2. Is NABH International a globally recognized accrediting body?
NABH has been accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) under its International Accreditation Program in November 2007. The approval of ISQua authenticates that NABH standards are in consonance with the global benchmarks set by ISQua. ISQua is an international body which grants approval to healthcare accreditation programs of countries as seal of excellence. At present, NABH sits on the International Board of ISQua. Aside from this, NABH holds the distinction as a founding member of the Asian Society for Quality in Healthcare (ASQua). In 2010, NABH’s representative to ASQua got elected as President of the agency.
3. How is NABH International compared to other accreditation agencies recognized by ISQUA?
Firstly, NABH-I is a body which is not for profit. It has the support of the government, industry and consumer bodies. As mentioned, NABH standards are accredited by ISQua (International Society for Quality in Health Care). All accreditation bodies whose standards are accredited by ISQua basically conform to common criteria as established by ISQua. Technically speaking, all bodies are expected to operate on the same level of competence, although there can be differences in their organizational functioning. Some may be under the aegis of the government and some may be private. The major difference between NABH-I and other international accreditations is its affordable cost. The NABH-I was primarily set up to redefine the healthcare delivery in the developing world.
4. What are NABH International's experiences in India where Philippine providers can learn from?
NABH has been developed and successfully implemented in India, with nearly 500 hospitals in various phases of accreditation and 60 hospitals already accredited. The Philippines is the first venture of NABH outside India, and it was chosen as it faces similar challenges in healthcare as India. Through NABH, the quality of healthcare delivery in India has vastly improved, which helped it become one of the leading providers of healthcare in the world. NABH-I will be carrying out the same mission in the Philippines.
5. How is the accreditation process being done?
The number of days of assessment varies on the size of the facility and its scope of services. The implementation of NABH-I standards begins with the applicant organization doing its self-assessment and submitting the results along with the relevant documentation. This is followed by the NABH assessment team doing a document review (off-site), followed by two on-site assessments, i.e. Pre-assessment and final assessment. Once accredited, the organization is accredited for a period of three (3) years.
6. Who are the qualified entities that can apply for NABH International accreditation?
We have launched Accreditation Programmes for hospitals, small healthcare organizations, wellness centers, blood banks, diagnostic centers, laboratories, medical imaging centers and dental clinics. Under this, standards have been released for the respective category of HCOs (healthcare organizations) as per their requirements and needs. The HCO may apply under any of the above relevant accreditation programme depending upon their services.
7. How effective is NABH International accreditation in attracting medical travelers and health insurance companies?
In many countries, government legislation and health insurance companies have launched initiatives to explore the potential benefits of incorporating medical tourism into health plans. The biggest hurdle has been quality of care. Accreditation of the hospitals/healthcare organizations have proven to be a guiding light for consumers to identify and differentiate organizations providing safe and quality care.
International accreditation allows healthcare provider to inform patients that it has undergone external assessment which has been benchmarked globally. It builds credibility and confidence, which generates recognition among foreign patients, thereby promoting medical tourism.
8. How many years is the accreditation cycle?
Once accredited, the organization is accredited for a period of 3 years.
9. Are there other countries that have subscribed to NABH International other than India?
NABH is currently operating in India with nearly 500 hospitals in various phases of accreditation and 60 hospitals already accredited. The Philippines is the first venture of NABH outside India. We will soon be launched in the Middle East and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.
10. Other than patient safety, what other benefits would a patient take advantage in seeking treatments from the medical facilities accredited by NABH-International?
NABH-I puts a lot on emphasis on Patient Safety aspects. These are designated standards dealing with patient rights and quality assurance programmes for laboratory services, radiology services, and hospital infection control. The first five chapters of the 10-chapter NABH Hospital Standards are patient centric. Even in the other five chapters, patient safety aspects are extensively covered, such as in chapters like Continuous Quality Improvement, Hospital Infection Control and Facility Management and Safety.
11. We already have ISO and Phil Health accreditation. Why do we still need NABH International?
ISO 9000 is generic management system certification and is not specifically written for healthcare. NABH International, on the other hand, is a globally accepted and recognized system of accreditation for healthcare. NABH-I's primary goal in the Philippines is to enable hospitals, clinics and other healthcare organizations to attain global acceptance by way of accreditation. During this process, NABH will also build capacity by training local doctors as surveyors/assessors, which will eventually help PhilHealth Accreditation.
12. Accreditation involves costs, how will it improve our bottom-line??
• |
Accreditation helps by improving efficiency and productivity. |
• |
Accreditation also prevents losses caused by medical negligence. |
• |
Accreditation streamlines systems and processes, and prevents duplication of work. |
|
It eliminates non-value added processes. |
• |
Quality comes at a cost but absence of quality can be damaging. In the longer run, accreditation |
|
is cost effective. .Studies have shown that a matured accreditation will result in more profitability |
|
of the hospitals and less taxing to the patient. |
13. Why will I choose NABH International among other international accreditation bodies?
Summarizing the points above: |
• |
NABH standards are accredited by ISQua, and thus, at par with any of the ISQua-recognized |
|
standards for accreditation. |
• |
Assessments are conducted by practicing doctors and active healthcare management |
|
professionals--and not by retired or semi-retired professionals. This brings a contemporary, |
|
practical element into the assessment process and adds value to the organization. |
• |
Pre-assessment is consultative, imparting knowledge of the best practices in clinical care integration |
| |
while implementing the elements of NABH Standards. |
