| Accreditation is considered a standard through | | | | neighborhood office or a 300-bed state-of-the-art |
| which a healthcare facility or service is shown to | | | | hospital. |
| offer quality and healthcare that meet minimum | | | | Accreditation guidelines ensure an external review |
| standards and guidelines offered by various | | | | and evaluation of quality as well as management |
| domestic and international quality boards. | | | | practices in a wide range of medical fields and |
| For example, individuals want, and deserve, quality | | | | scenarios. The focus is on patient care, from the |
| in healthcare, whether for dental, cosmetic, | | | | moment they access care to when they are |
| bariatric or other treatments and surgical | | | | discharged from a hospital or medical facility. |
| procedures. Anyone entering a healthcare facility | | | | Other factors taken into consideration for |
| deserves to know that staff is trained, facilities | | | | accreditation include: |
| are clean and that procedures follow standards | | | | - Quality of hands-on care |
| that reduce chances of error, infection or | | | | - Education and training of staff |
| negligence. | | | | - Proof of educational credentials |
| Healthcare and hospital accreditation in the U.S. is | | | | - Ethical standards |
| standard practice, but such is not the case for | | | | Accreditation incorporates every department in |
| many international healthcare providers. Due to | | | | healthcare facilities, including laboratory, pharmacy, |
| the growing popularity of healthcare tourism, | | | | infection control services, Human Resources and |
| however, international facilities are increasingly | | | | Health Information Technology services. |
| desirous of being rated (or graded) by U.S. and | | | | Medical Traveler Basics |
| International accreditation organizations in order to | | | | Individual medical travelers must take the time to |
| offer competitive procedures in the fields of | | | | assess standards of care in foreign destinations. |
| bariatric surgery and care, dental and cosmetic | | | | Medical care environments in foreign destinations |
| and plastic surgeries, as well as fertility treatment | | | | are certainly different than what most Americans |
| treatments and procedures. | | | | find in their own hospital settings. However, it |
| Accreditation Organizations | | | | might help to assess care by taking into |
| One of the most well-known accreditation | | | | consideration the following factors: |
| agencies in the world are the Joint Commission | | | | - Quality, education and certification of facility |
| and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of | | | | medical staff |
| Healthcare Organizations, (JC and JCAHO), the | | | | - Evidence of continuing educational opportunities |
| International Society for Quality in Health Care | | | | for medical staff |
| (ISQua), the Accreditation Commission for Health | | | | - Track record of the clinic or hospital |
| Care, Inc. (ACHC), and the Healthcare Quality | | | | - Infection control record of clinic or hospital |
| Association on Accreditation (HQAA). Global | | | | - Potential geographical risks of tropical disease |
| healthcare in destinations such as Thailand, | | | | infections |
| Singapore, India, South America, Egypt, Jordan, | | | | ISQua |
| Hungary, Turkey and Croatia also see the need to | | | | Individuals wishing to find information about a |
| show high standards and quality of medical care, | | | | specific facility may find resources at the |
| and have taken steps to be accredited by the | | | | International Society for Quality in Health Care |
| Joint Commission International (JCI) as well as the | | | | (ISQua), which is considered the "umbrella" |
| Society for International Healthcare Accreditation | | | | organization for international healthcare |
| (SOFIHA) based out of Britain. This is in addition to | | | | accreditation issues. Representing about 70 |
| accreditation within domestic quality healthcare | | | | countries to date, ISQua is dedicated to improving |
| standards organizations in their own country of | | | | safety and quality of care in facilities throughout |
| origin. | | | | the world. |
| The Joint Commission and others designed like it | | | | Other International Accreditation facilities include: |
| evaluate medical facilities based on a standard of | | | | - The United Kingdom Accreditation Forum |
| requirements that must be met in order to 'pass' | | | | (UKAF) |
| inspection. Such considerations are key focal | | | | - Australian Council for Healthcare Standards |
| points of such inspection teams: | | | | International (ACHSI) |
| - Medical staff credentials and training | | | | - Canadian Council on Health Services Regulation |
| - Nursing staff credentials and training | | | | (CCHSA) |
| - Medication Management | | | | - Joint Commission International (JCI) |
| - Infection Control | | | | - Trent Accreditation Scheme - aka Trent (U.K., |
| - Environment of Care | | | | Europe, Hong Kong, Malta, Philippines) |
| - Patient Rights | | | | Conclusion |
| - Provision of Care Treatment Services | | | | Before flying to a foreign destination for a surgical |
| Such accreditation groups are not only expected, | | | | procedure or treatment, consumers are advised |
| but also common in countries like the U.S., | | | | to carefully research the facility of his or her |
| Western Europe, Australia and Canada, but | | | | choice. Whenever possible, choose facilities that |
| recently, medical facilities in locations throughout | | | | are accredited by domestic and credible |
| the world are applying for accreditation from | | | | accreditation organizations as well as International |
| world-recognized organizations that literally place a | | | | accreditation organizations such as those |
| 'stamp of approval' on a sole practitioner's | | | | mentioned above. |