Benefits of applying for hospital accreditation: The perspective of staff

Abstract

Aim This investigation aimed to explore the benefits associated with implementing an accreditation programme in hospitals in Jordan, from the perspective of doctors and nursing staff. Background Although Jordan is one of the first Arab countries in the Middle East to adopt accreditation standards, little has been identified with regard to the benefits of implementing accreditation for the quality of health care in Jordanian hospitals. Method A qualitative approach was employed in this project. Face‐to‐face interviews were therefore conducted with 10 nurses at different levels and 10 doctors, including different specialists from two Jordanian hospitals (one private and one public). Result Four key benefits of accreditation were recognized in the sampled hospitals: quality improvement, patient satisfaction, patient safety, cost‐effectiveness and improved reputation. Conclusion This study has tried to offer an in‐depth understanding of the impact of this programme. The results reveal that while professionals project a positive attitude to accreditation, their opinions are built on substantial information and supported by evidence‐based study or monitoring plans, which could determine and quantify the precise benefits of accreditation in terms of quality. Implications for Nursing Management This investigation may be important for nurses, especially in managerial positions. Recommendations for implementing accreditation in Jordanian hospitals were derived from this examination.

The perceptions of healthcare professionals about accreditation and its impact on quality of healthcare in Kuwait: a qualitative study

“…The participants reported that the healthcare accreditation resulted in several benefits to patient safety and quality of healthcare in their organizations. These positive views regarding accreditation are consistent with previous studies in which HCPs supported accreditation programs and believed that accreditation resulted in improvements within their organizations 10,12,15,20,24,28,38 . For example, a survey‐based study from Qatar showed that most staff working in a primary healthcare organization agreed about the positive impact of accreditation on quality of healthcare 15 .…”

“…In a similar study from Saudi Arabia, HCPs perceived accreditation to result in positive improvements in the delivery of patient care and other health services at their hospital 20 . In a qualitative study conducted among hospital physicians and nurses in Jordan, participants expressed favourable attitudes towards accreditation and reported several benefits of accreditation including quality improvement, patient safety and satisfaction, cost‐effectiveness, and enhanced reputation 28 . In a nationwide survey in Australia on the benefits of a national accreditation program, most HCPs indicated that accreditation resulted in significant benefits to healthcare organizations 38 .…”

“…However, there are no publications that have explored the healthcare accreditation process or perceptions of HCPs about accreditation in Kuwait. Moreover, most of the studies investigating accreditation in the Middle Eastern countries were conducted using quantitative methods, 12,15,17,20,21 with few using qualitative methods 19,28 . The goal of qualitative research is to understand the opinions, experiences, attitudes, and behaviours from the viewpoints of participants about a specific topic 29 .…”

The impact of hospital accreditation in selected Middle East countries: a scoping review

“…Of these 20 publications, 15 indicated that accreditation programmes positively affect organisational performance (AbuAlRub et al, 2015;Al Shammari et al, 2015 Impact of hospital accreditation Al-Qahtani et al, 2012;Algahtani et al, 2017;Algunmeeyn et al, 2020;Almasabi and Thomas, 2017;Bahadori et al, 2018;Diab, 2011;Jaafaripooyan, 2014;Jaber, 2014;Reisi et al, 2019;Saadati et al, 2018;Shakibaei, 2019;Yousefinezhadi et al, 2020). For instance, hospital accreditation was perceived to promote a quality and safety culture by improving communication, teamwork and staff empowerment, and enhancing clinical documentation (AbuAlRub et al, 2015;Al Shammari et al, 2015;Al-Awa et al, 2012;Algunmeeyn et al, 2020;Saadati et al, 2018;Yousefinezhadi et al, 2020).…”

“…Of these 20 publications, 15 indicated that accreditation programmes positively affect organisational performance (AbuAlRub et al, 2015;Al Shammari et al, 2015 Impact of hospital accreditation Al-Qahtani et al, 2012;Algahtani et al, 2017;Algunmeeyn et al, 2020;Almasabi and Thomas, 2017;Bahadori et al, 2018;Diab, 2011;Jaafaripooyan, 2014;Jaber, 2014;Reisi et al, 2019;Saadati et al, 2018;Shakibaei, 2019;Yousefinezhadi et al, 2020). For instance, hospital accreditation was perceived to promote a quality and safety culture by improving communication, teamwork and staff empowerment, and enhancing clinical documentation (AbuAlRub et al, 2015;Al Shammari et al, 2015;Al-Awa et al, 2012;Algunmeeyn et al, 2020;Saadati et al, 2018;Yousefinezhadi et al, 2020). Health professionals also viewed hospital accreditation programmes as effective interventions to improve and standardise care processes, stimulate organisational changes and improve managerial processes (Al-Qahtani et al, 2012;Algahtani et al, 2017;Almasabi and Thomas, 2017;Bahadori et al, 2018;Diab, 2011;Jaafaripooyan, 2014;Jaber, 2014;Reisi et al, 2019;Saadati et al, 2018;Shakibaei, 2019).…”