About NABH

National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) is a constituent board of Quality Council of India, set up to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. the board is structured to cater to much desired needs of the consumers and to set benchmarks for progress of health industry. The board while being supported by all stakeholders including industry, consumers, government, have full functional autonomy in its operation.

Organisations like the Quality Council of India (QCI) and its National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare providers NABH have designed an exhaustive healthcare standard for hospitals and healthcare providers.

NABH Accreditation

NABH Accreditation is a public recognition by a National Healthcare Accreditation Body, of the achievement of accreditation standards by a Healthcare Organization, demonstrated through an independent external peer assessment of that organization’s level of performance in relation to the standards.

NABH accreditation is aimed at establishing common framework for healthcare organizations to demonstrate and practice compliance to patient safety protocols. Although accreditation is voluntary, there is growing trend whereby regulatory/affiliating/paying agencies are using NABH accreditation for empanelment of hospitals. As a major initiative, NABH has launched massive awareness program to improve quality of public healthcare delivery system in the country.

Under NABH, following Accreditation Programs are going on:

• Hospitals
• Small Healthcare Organisations
• Blood Banks / Blood storage centers
• Allopathic Clinics
• AYUSH Hospitals (Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Unani, Yoga Naturopathy)
• Dental Facilities
• Medical Imaging Services
• Medical Laboratory Program
• OST Centre(Oral substitution therapy)
• PHC/CHC Accreditation(primary health centers/community health centers)
• Wellness Centres
• Panchkarma
• Eye Care organization

What NABH Accreditation Means?

• Commitment to create a culture of quality, patient safety, efficiency and accountability towards patient care.
• Establishment of protocols and policies as per National/International Standards for patient care, medication management, consent process, patient safety, clinical outcomes, medical records, infection control and staffing.
• Patients are treated with respect, dignity and courtesy at all times.
• Patients are involved in care planning and decision making.
• Patients are treated by qualified and trained staff.
• Feedback from patients is sought and complaints (if any) are addressed.
• Transparency in billing and availability of tariff list.
• Continuous monitoring of its services for improvement.
• Commitment to prevent adverse events that may occur.

NABH Accreditation for Whom?

Currently, NABH is offering accreditation programs for Hospitals, Small Health Care Organizations/Nursing Homes, Blood Banks and Transfusion Services, Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) Centres and Primary and Secondary Health Centres. A couple of more programs such as Medical Imaging services, Dental Hospitals/Centres, AYUSH Hospitals are being developed.

Benefits of NABH Accreditation

Formal recognition of competence by an Accreditation body in accordance with international criteria has many advantages:

• Accreditation benefits all Stake Holders. Patients are the biggest beneficiaries. Accreditation results in high quality of care and patient safety. The patients get services by credential medical staff. Rights of patients are respected and protected. Patient satisfaction is regularly evaluated.
• Accreditation to a Hospital stimulates continuous improvement. It enables hospital in demonstrating commitment to quality care. It raises community confidence in the services provided by the hospital. It also provides opportunity to healthcare unit to benchmark with the best.
• The Staff in an accredited hospital are satisfied lot as it provides for continuous learning, good working environment, leadership and above all ownership of clinical processes. It improves overall professional development of Clinicians and Paramedical staff and provides leadership for quality improvement within medicine and nursing.
• Accreditation provides an objective system of empanelment by insurance and other Third Parties. Accreditation provides access to reliable and certified information on facilities, infrastructure and level of care.