Introduction
The realization of the institution’s vision of a consummate health community requires the re-evaluation of policies and procedures to conform to the international health standards. The quality of healthcare services and products is an important component for enhancing safety and improving health standards in society. Additionally, the level of quality is significant among government agencies, the private sectors, and professional bodies. One of the effective ways of enhancing the quality standards of the institutions in healthcare accreditation. The accreditation is expected to enhance the image of the healthcare facility as a place of safety.
Definition of Accreditation
Healthcare accreditation is a quality assessment process that involves internal evaluations and external peer assessments using national standards established by the health sector. The process extends beyond setting quality standards because it includes analytical counseling and self-improvement practices. The institution must evaluate its processes to identify the areas in need of adjustments and improvements. Accreditation plays an important role in providing and maintaining patient safety. It ensures that the institution’s operations conform to the healthcare standards while improving the relationships with society.
Reasons for Proposing the Accreditation
One of the reasons for recommending the accreditation is establishing a culture of quality and patient safety in the institution. The process will facilitate the assessment and reevaluation of the institution’s level of performance. Although there has been a culture of safety and quality in healthcare delivery, the facility cannot identify its weaknesses and strengths. In fact, every organization must evaluate its level of performance by conducting internal and external audits. Additionally, the institution must recognize the areas in need of improvement. The process will enhance the level of coordination and relationships among healthcare professionals. When the health facility achieves accreditation, it will demonstrate to the community that it offers quality care and provides safety to all patients. The process will enhance confidence and the level of trust between the community and the institution.
Cost and Accreditation Plan
The average cost of accreditation is $80,000, which will be distributed across three years of surveys and evaluations. The institution will focus on its policies and procedures by conducting an internal audit that will be compiled in a preliminary evidence report (PER) to be reviewed by the health facility accreditation program (HFAP). The process of compiling and evaluating the department’s policies and procedures is expected to take four to six months. The personnel involved in policy evaluation and quality assessment will determine the duration of the internal audit. The accreditation agency offers a twelve-month period for the application, analysis, and comprehensive assessments. The time is sufficient to facilitate policy evaluations, budget formulation, and the survey processes. The joint commission accreditation distributes the cost to the three years of survey and assessments. The cost breakdown includes audit expenses, data collection, and external surveys. Before certification is acquired, the facility must collect data for the health plan employer data and information set (HEDIS). Additionally, the internal evaluations will require an auditor to assess the compliance rates, as well as, the quality level of the facility’s healthcare services. The HEDIS is one of the most important reports required by state regulators. The data will be essential in promoting a national image in the healthcare sector.
Advantages and Challenges of Accreditation
One of the benefits of the accreditation is achieving a national quality standard that affirms the facility’s compliance with high-quality services and patient safety. Additionally, the achievement will demonstrate that the facility provides high-level performance in relation to the healthcare standards. The process will benefit all the stakeholders. The patients will be the biggest beneficiary because they will start receiving a high quality of care. The accreditation process will reevaluate and improve all policies that address patient safety. Additionally, the achievement will demonstrate that the facility has the best medical professionals. All the health professionals will undergo a credential assessment to ensure that they possess the best qualities set by the healthcare sector.
The achievement will provide the professionals with numerous opportunities to learn and improve their skills. Additionally, it will lead to improved working environments. The working conditions will be readjusted to conform to the accreditation standards. The adjustments will ensure that the professionals are not overworked, understaffed, or subjected to hostile working environments. The accreditation process will focus on improving healthcare equipment and facilities to improve the quality of care and patient safety. The achievement will increase the community’s confidence in the facility. In fact, it will enhance the level of relationship and trust between the facility and the community. Additionally, it will provide the facility with an opportunity to liaise and work closely with other accredited institutions. The process will enhance coordination, integration, and benchmarking opportunities with some of the best healthcare centers in the country.
The achievement will provide standard assessment structures by insurance and other third parties. The financial and service value is expected to increase because the accreditation will provide coordinated structures that will show its compliance with the highest quality standards. Additionally, it will develop a new culture that will be characterized by high-quality care, patient safety, and coordinated services across the facility’s departments and units.
Financing the accreditation process will be one of the most challenging aspects. The cost of accreditation is very high and may affect other health operations. Additionally, unresponsive personnel may affect the process. Healthcare professionals are some of the biggest agents of change. In fact, they are very important in designing and realizing accreditation. However, unresponsiveness may affect the process and interfere with internal audits. Healthcare leadership can also provide barriers to achievement. They coordinate finances, employee functions, and the organizational culture. However, they can withdraw finances or fail in coordinating personnel functions. The accreditation bodies may affect the achievements by delaying their surveys.
Resources Required
The facility will require funds to complete the project. The funds are meant to cater for quality surveyors, data collection, internal audits, documentation, and acquisition of new equipment and staff. Additionally, the institution will require more employees to facilitate data collection and quality assessments without compromising the healthcare operations.
Preparedness of the Institution
The health department is well prepared for the accreditation exercise. It has annual revenue of over $5.5 million that can facilitate the implementation of program assessments. Additionally, the department has already initiated commendation and quality improvement practices and community health response. The creation of a water safety task force is a significant step towards achieving its safety goals. The environmental health and animal control division has been undergoing improvements to improve the quality of care and the community’s confidence in safety.