“Accredited hospital” is ubiquitous in medical travel brochures. But what does the term actually signify, who awards it, and what does it really check and not check? Here is a simple, plain-language explanation, published around World Patient Safety Day, of what hospital accreditation means and how to verify any hospital’s claim.
Every year on the 17th of September, World Patient Safety Day draws attention to the fact that patients should not be harmed by the care intended to heal them. This year’s campaign messages focus on safety in care for patients with non-communicable diseases such as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions. These messages highlight that patients with chronic conditions are at higher risk of harm in health care, and safety should be of concern at all points of care, including at the time of diagnosis and through the journey of care thereafter.
Patients seeking health care abroad are also at risk of harm in health care. Although you may not be able to inspect the health care facilities in person, you have to rely on signals, and the most popular among them is accreditation. Here is what it means and what its limits are.
What is hospital accreditation?
Accreditation is an independent assessment of a health care organization by an assessing body against certain published standards. The assessing body reviews the organization’s policies and procedures, and assessors visit the health care facility to observe the practice and speak to the staff. If the organization meets the standards, it is accredited for a certain period. At the end of the period the organization has to undergo another assessment.
NABH vs JCI vs NABL: The Main Accreditation Bodies
| Body | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| NABH | India’s national hospital accreditation body (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) | It accredits hospitals and other healthcare providers, and different levels exist, so check which level a hospital actually holds |
| JCI | The international accreditation arm of the US-based Joint Commission, which assesses hospitals in many countries | Accreditation is awarded to a specific organization, so confirm the exact site on JCI’s own list |
| NABL | India’s accreditation body for testing and calibration laboratories | It covers laboratories, not the hospital as a whole, so a hospital’s lab can be NABL-accredited without the hospital itself holding NABH or JCI |
What accreditation standards typically examine
Details vary between accreditors and change over time, but hospital standards encompass most of the following:
- Patient identification and safe communication to ensure the right patient gets the right treatment.
- Storage and administration of medicines.
- Prevention of cross-infection.
- Safety of surgical and other procedures, including the consent process.
- Patients’ Rights and information on how complaints are handled.
- Staff qualifications and credentialing.
- Safety of the hospital premises and emergency preparedness.
What accreditation does not tell you
Check the scope: Accreditation certificates cover specific services, and an organisation can have multiple certificates. So check that the hospital or programme that you are being treated at is the one named. Accreditation of a group’s flagship hospital does not mean other facilities of the group are accredited, as well.
How to Verify a Hospital’s Accreditation Claim Yourself
- Ask for the specifics
Which accreditation body, which exact hospital or site, which programme or level, and the certificate number and expiry date. A vague “we’re accredited” is not enough.
- Check the accreditor’s own public listing
NABH and JCI each publish information about the organisations they accredit on their official websites. Look the hospital up there, not on a third-party directory or in a brochure.
- Check the status and the dates
Confirm the accreditation is current, not lapsed or pending renewal, and that it covers the facility where you’ll be treated.
- Verify the doctor separately
Hospital accreditation says nothing about an individual doctor. Ask for your surgeon’s qualifications and registration, and confirm them with the relevant medical regulator.
Beyond the certificate: Patient safety questions worth asking
Because of the theme for this year’s forum, what happens after the patient is discharged from the hospital is worth investigating. Cardiac patients are at an increased risk of a major adverse cardiac event in the first 30 days after discharge. Type II Diabetes patients are at high risk of developing complications.
- Which accreditation does the hospital hold, for which site, and when does it expire?
- Who exactly will treat me, and what are their qualifications?
- How is consent obtained, and will it be explained in a language I understand?
- Will I get a full discharge summary, records, and scans in a form my home doctor can use?
- What follow-up is available after I leave, and who do I contact if a problem arises at home?
- What happens if there is a complication, and what is covered? Get the answers in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is a JCI-accredited hospital always better than an NABH-accredited one?
No. They are different bodies with different standards and processes, and both indicate an independent assessment of the hospital. What matters is that the accreditation is genuine and current and covers the facility where the patient is to be treated. Our guide to NABH vs JCI accreditation compares the two in more detail.
Q: Does accreditation mean the hospital has no complications?
No. Accreditation indicates that the system and processes in the hospital meet standards. Complications can happen in all hospitals regardless of accreditation.
Q: What if a hospital isn’t accredited?
It does not mean you will definitely get poor care, but you lose one of your independent signals, and thus you should ask more questions, and look for other evidence of safety and quality. Most patients prefer to have major procedures done at accredited facilities.
Q: Who is responsible if something goes wrong?
It depends on the policies of the hospital, the laws, and what is in your agreement. The answers to these questions should be given to you before you travel.
Q: Can MediKaya Healthcare help me check a hospital?
We can tell you what we know and what to ask. However, we suggest that you confirm accreditation yourself. You can also request a free, independent review of your treatment plan.
Conclusion
It is worth asking and checking for accreditation. However, it is just the beginning of the due diligence process. You should verify the care facility and doctor yourself, and you should have plans for your care when you return home.