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NABH Accreditation Process for

Hospitals

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Aman Priya Khanna

Written by Sangeeta Sharma, last updated on 10 March 2023| 3 min read

Table of Contents
 What is NABH?
 What is NABH Accreditation?
 Key Features of NABH Accreditation
 Benefits of NABH Accreditation
 NABH Accreditation Program
 NABH Accreditation Process
 Summing It Up!
 Frequently Asked Questions
 References

The healthcare industry in India is undergoing rapid social, economic, and

technological changes. Accreditation is considered the most effective method for
enhancing hospital quality, improving their ability to provide high-quality care and
ensuring patient safety.

NABH accreditation encourages public and private healthcare organizations to fulfil

their roles in the health system. It accredits healthcare organizations regardless of
ownership, legal status, or size. Read the blog to know more about the accreditation
process.

What is NABH?
Hospitals and healthcare organizations should ensure that patients, staff, and other
stakeholders are safe. The government, NGOs, insurance agencies, professional
organizations, and patients are concerned about the quality and safety of healthcare
services.

The Quality Council of India (QCI) established NABH to provide accreditation

services to healthcare organizations. NABH full form in medical is National
Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers.

Its primary objective is to promote continuous improvement and patient safety in

healthcare systems. Additionally, NABH provides international recognition to
accredited hospitals and promotes medical tourism in the country.

What is NABH Accreditation?

The NABH hospital accreditation program was launched in 2005 to enhance the
quality of healthcare and safety for patients in both public and private hospitals. The
program has since grown and gained international recognition, with standards
equivalent to other global healthcare accreditation programs.

NABH accreditation is a seal of approval that signifies that a healthcare provider has
met certain quality and safety standards in its services, infrastructure, and
management.

This voluntary accreditation helps patients make informed choices while selecting a
healthcare provider. It also promotes continuous improvement in healthcare services
to strive for continuous excellence.

Key Features of NABH Accreditation

NABH Accreditation is a certificate that healthcare providers can earn by meeting
certain quality standards. It helps them identify areas to improve while giving patients
the needed information to choose the best healthcare provider. The key features of
NABH Certification are:

1. Certification: NABH Accreditation provides a certificate to the

healthcare organisation. It signifies quality and safety standards in its
services, infrastructure, and management.
2. Focus on Patient Safety: It ensures that the healthcare provider
follows Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for patient care,
treatment, and management and focuses on patient safety, rights,
and satisfaction.
3. Voluntary Process: The accreditation process is voluntary and
requires healthcare providers to implement continuous quality
improvement practices.
4. Informed Decision Making: NABH Accreditation provides patients
with a tool to make informed decisions about choosing a healthcare
provider.
5. Continuous Improvement: It helps healthcare providers benchmark
their performance and promotes a culture of continuous improvement
in healthcare services.
6. Validity: The accreditation is valid for two years, and healthcare
providers must undergo re-accreditation to maintain their
accreditation status.
Benefits of NABH Accreditation
The benefits of NABH Accreditation are not limited to the patients, the healthcare
organisation, the staff, and regulatory bodies.

Accreditation encourages healthcare providers to continuously improve their

services, resulting in better patient outcomes and an overall improvement in
healthcare quality.

Benefits of NABH Accreditation for Patients

1. Patient-Centred: Patients are the primary focus and benefit most
from NABH Accreditation.
2. High-Quality Care: Accreditation requires healthcare providers to
follow standardised processes and best practices. It ensures
consistent and high-quality care delivery and reduces the risk of
errors or adverse events.
3. Patient Safety: This includes specific risk management and patient
safety standards. Healthcare providers identify and mitigate risks,
improving overall patient and staff safety.
4. Protected Rights: Patients' rights are protected by assisting them in
making informed decisions about their care.
5. Patient Satisfaction: The NABH-accredited healthcare organisation
regularly evaluates patient satisfaction, which helps improve the
healthcare management standard.
Benefits of NABH Accreditation for Healthcare
Organisations
1. Continuous Improvement: NABH-accredited hospitals stimulate the
constant improvement of patient services.
2. Quality Care: The accreditation ensures that hospitals meet specific
standards related to patient care, safety, and outcomes, resulting in
improved quality of care for patients.
3. Enhanced Credibility: Hospitals with accreditation are widely
recognised as a mark of quality and excellence in healthcare.
Thereby improving the credibility and reputation of hospitals among
patients, staff, and other stakeholders.
 4. Competitive Healthcare: The NABH accreditation process helps
hospitals identify improvement areas and implement best practices,
leading to increased efficiency and better use of resources.
5. Medical Tourism: When the standards are certified, it gives
international recognition, which helps to promote medical tourism.
Benefits of NABH Accreditation for Staff
1. Improved Work Environment: NABH Accreditation promotes a
culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement in the
workplace, leading to an improved work environment for staff.
2. Enhanced Professional Development: Accreditation requires
healthcare providers to implement training programs for staff to
improve their skills and knowledge, leading to professional
development opportunities.
3. Higher Staff Satisfaction: It focuses on patient safety and
satisfaction, resulting in higher staff satisfaction levels as they
provide better patient care.
4. Recognition and Rewards: The staff who meet or exceed standards
are recognised and rewarded, boosting their morale and motivation
to provide high-quality care.
5. Job Security: Accredited healthcare providers are more likely to
attract and retain skilled staff, increasing employee job security.

NABH Accreditation Program

NABH operates several accreditation programs. It includes:

1. Hospitals: NABH standards ensure high-quality care, safety, and

patient satisfaction in hospitals of all sizes and ownerships.
2. Small Healthcare Organizations (SHO): The standards provide a
roadmap for standardisation to hospitals and nursing homes with a
bed capacity of up to 50 beds.
3. Blood Banks: Compliance with safety and quality protocols is
ensured at blood centres.
4. Medical Imaging Services (MIS): NABH provides guidelines for
delivering quality diagnostic and interventional imaging services.
 5. Dental Facilities: Patient safety, care quality, staff training, and
knowledge updating in response to dental services are the main
focus.
6. Allopathic Clinics: The requirements align with hospital standards
to ensure quality assurance in allopathic clinics.
7. Medical Laboratory Services: High-quality and safe practices must
be followed, from sample collection to reporting results.
8. AYUSH Hospitals: These standards ensure safe and effective
traditional and alternative treatments in AYUSH hospitals.
9. Primary Health Centre (PHC): Simple and applicable quality
assurance criteria are established to improve primary healthcare
facilities.
10. Clinical Trial (Ethics Committee): The established norms
must be followed to increase the safety of clinical trials in India.
11. Panchakarma Clinics: Authorised Panchakarma clinics
adhere to nationally recognised quality and safety standards.
12. Eye Care Organisation: Accreditation raises the standard and
safety of eye treatment for patients and enhances service quality in
critical situations.

NABH Accreditation Process

The process of NABH accreditation can be lengthy and demanding, but it is a
prestigious recognition. It helps healthcare providers stand out in a competitive
market. The NABH Accreditation process is as follows:

1. Application for Accreditation: To apply for NABH accreditation, a

healthcare organization (HCO) must submit an application form and
pay an application fee, providing accurate information about their
services and other necessary details.
2. Registration of Application: After the NABH Secretariat receives
the completed application form, necessary documents, and fees from
the HCO, they will acknowledge the receipt of the application.
3. Appointment of Principal Assessor: The primary assessor is
responsible for both the pre-assessment and on-site assessment of
 the HCO and will have overall responsibility for conducting the
evaluation.
4. Pre-Assessment: The HCO must conduct a self-assessment and
internal audit to ensure its readiness before the pre-assessment. This
must be completed within three months of applying.
5. Assessment: After the HCO has addressed any deficiencies, NABH
will propose an assessment team for the final assessment, which
must be completed within six months of the pre-assessment visit.
6. Scrutiny of Assessment Report: NABH will review the assessment
report and communicate the results to the HCO, ensuring that any
non-conformities raised by the assessment team are available to and
understood by the HCO.
7. Accreditation Committee: Once the HCO has taken satisfactory
corrective action, the NABH officer will prepare a summary of all
relevant information gathered during the application processing,
assessment report, and any additional information provided by the
HCO.
8. Issue of Accreditation Certificate: If the recommendation for
accreditation is approved, the NABH officer will issue the
accreditation certificate to the organization.

Summing It Up!
NABH accreditation offers several benefits to hospitals and other healthcare
organisations. Not only does it systemise the processes in the hospital, but it also
boosts patients’ confidence in the facilities and services offered. A certificate of
accreditation by NABH can help healthcare centres gain recognition internationally.

If you have any concerns or questions about the accreditation process, consult an
expert at HexaHealth TODAY! The team of professionals at HexaHealth will be
happy to assist you.