The National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) is among the oldest physical laboratories domiciled in the US Department of Commerce. It is an agency that Congress created to address measurement standards and infrastructure that was lagging behind others in the developed economies of Europe. This body works for the US government to support measurement standards of all levels used in global communication networks. NIST represents the standards measurement body from America, while the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) incorporates standard measurement agencies from individual countries around the world. These agencies work together to enhance and streamline international standards, improve their working conditions, and develop them technologically.
Standards provided by these two bodies include consistent and safe medical care for the needy. There are several ISO standards for healthcare, including ISO 9001, BS 76000, ISO 27001, and ISO 14001. These standards are used to manage data, information systems, people, and the environment (Ritchie et al., 2019). They ensure that the highest measurement qualities are observed in any healthcare system.
The National Institute of Standard and Technology standards for health care include CCR Standards Action Plan, CCR suitability Analysis, Continuity of Care Standards Action Plan, Continuity of Care Suitability Analysis, and Healthcare Information Technology Standards (NIST, 2021).
The International Organization of Standardization and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are related in that they are both measurement standard bodies with the objective of streamlining and developing standards to facilitate business, improve quality of life, and increase levels of productivity. The National Institute of Standards and Technology fully represents the US internationally in healthcare standards development. It mainly supports America’s health IT options on the national and international stage. It pursues standards and measurements research to improve healthcare delivery that can be adopted internationally.
References
NIST (2021). Health IT standard reports. Retrieved from: Health IT Standards Reports | NIST
Ritchie, W. J., Ni, J., Stark, E. M., & Melnyk, S. A. (2019). The effectiveness of ISO 9001-based healthcare accreditation surveyors and standards on hospital performance outcomes: A balanced scorecard perspective. Quality Management Journal, 26(4), 162-173.