Medical institutions and facilities should fulfill major requirements for both quality and accreditation. Such measures are critical since they encourage healthcare providers to continue meeting the medical needs of their patients. This paper discusses the unique requirements for accreditation and quality care initiatives. It goes further to describe whether both are necessary or not.
Key Requirements
Accreditation has become a major aspect that healthcare institutions and facilities should take seriously. Jha (2018) defines it as a self-assessment and external analysis process that clinics and hospitals use to assess performance by the outlined standards and improve their practices continuously. Accreditation occurs when a given institution fulfills outlined requirements. The first one is that it should be assessing and improving the nature and quality of its medical services. This achievement requires a review of both caregivers and practitioners. The second requirement is for every hospital to have a detailed identification of the key services it provides directly or indirectly (Jha, 2018). The third one is that the facility should be providing the right services depending on its status or type. Finally, it should fulfill all the unique attributes associated with the targeted accreditation.
The Quality Care Initiative is another powerful concept that many health institutions pursue. The idea behind it is to satisfy predetermined criteria for measuring the quality and strength of medical services (Black, 2016). The outlined requirements tend to differ from one model to another. However, the common ones include the presence of effective leadership that will result in new beliefs, values, and behaviors. The second one is the ability to empower staff members and offer an appropriate working environment. The third requirement is the institution’s ability to introduce and support initiatives that can result in exemplary practices. The fourth one is the ability to acquire new knowledge, promote innovation, and pursue improvements in care delivery. Finally, facilities should meet the idea of continuous improvement to qualify for the criteria.
Necessity
Many hospitals participate in both quality care initiatives and accreditation in an attempt to improve their models and meet the health needs of the greatest number of patients. Jha (2018) asserts that accreditation is something necessary since it ensures that all medical facilities and clinicians offer high-quality services depending on their respective statuses or levels. This practice is also important because accredited facilities fulfill specific minimum requirements, thereby being in a position to provide specified services to the targeted individuals. Unaccredited facilities might remain unlicensed or fail to attract the right number of patients.
Quality care initiatives are essential because they make it possible for hospitals and clinics to engage in procedures and practices that can eventually result in the provision of desirable medical services. Most of the existing quality care models encourage institutions to improve their care delivery models continuously. They will embrace emerging technologies, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and encourage all caregivers and practitioners to engage in lifelong learning (Black, 2016). Hospitals that get specific certifications or recognitions will attract and offer high-quality services to more people.
Conclusion
The above discussion has revealed that accreditation and quality care initiatives are powerful models that can guide medical facilities to provide superior health services. Clinics and hospitals should fulfill all outlined requirements to receive accreditation or improve their care delivery models. These measures will also support the strategies of health institutions and fulfill the unique needs of their respective patients.
References
Black, B. P. (2016). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.
Jha, A. K. (2018). Accreditation, quality, and making hospital care better. The JAMA Forum, 320(23), 2410-2411. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.18810