International Accreditation Program Launched, Seen to Improve the Philippines' Healthcare System
Online, August 13, 2010 (Newswire.com) - In support of the present administration's agenda of giving universal access to high-quality healthcare, a globally-recognized accreditation program has been launched in the Philippines to encourage local hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers to improve the quality of care in their facilities at par with international benchmarks.
Under the aegis of its exclusive Philippine representative HealthCORE, NABH International aims to improve the conditions, systems, processes and skills of healthcare facilities and professionals in the country through internationally recognized and accredited standards.
"Accreditation with NABH International provides assurance on patient safety and quality of care, which are main concerns for patients. It stimulates continuous improvement for healthcare organizations and builds credibility and confidence," said Dr. Girdhar J. Gyani, CEO of NABH International and Secretary General of Quality Council of India, who is also the lone Asian Board Member in International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua).
Developed and successfully implemented in India, NABH has been accredited by ISQua under its International Accreditation Program in 2008--one of the few accrediting organizations in the world to achieve this recognition. ISQua is an international body which grants approval to healthcare accreditation programs as a seal of excellence.
"This is the first time that NABH is taking its services outside of India. We have chosen the Philippines to be our first international venture because we believe that the Philippines faces similar healthcare challenges with India. In the first two years of NABH implementation, the quality of healthcare delivery in India has vastly improved, which helped us become one of the leading providers of healthcare in the world. We would like to carry out the same mission in the Philippines," said Dr. Sanjiv Malik, Board Member of NABH and Executive Director of DM Healthcare Group in UAE.
NABH International's accreditation process entails onsite visits and facility tours to assess if standards on access, care of patients, management of medication, patient rights and infection control are met. Standards on continuous quality improvement, good governance, facility safety, human resources and information management system are likewise evaluated by highly qualified and well-trained assessors comprised of clinicians, healthcare administrators and nursing supervisors.
"With NABH International's stringent accreditation process, we can ensure that our hospitals will provide safe and effective healthcare of the highest quality and best value. At its heart, NABH is all about improving the overall healthcare system for the benefit of patients," said Juris Umali-Soliman, CEO of HealthCORE.
Aside from hospitals and clinics, NABH International also covers the accreditation of spas, wellness centers, blood banks, community health centers, and other small healthcare organizations.
"We have consistently produced excellent doctors, nurses, caregivers and therapists who are in demand worldwide. One of the ways for us to keep them is to provide then with the right working environment. As we match our world-class capability with the improvement of our hospitals and clinics to world-class standards, the Philippines is set to become a global hub of healthcare," said staunch medical tourism advocate Joyce Alumno, President of HealthCORE and CEO of HIM Communications.
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About HealthCORE
A subsidiary of HIM Communications, HealthCORE is the central source and resource about Philippine healthcare, medical and wellness tourism, and retirement. With its top-caliber team of experts, HealthCORE provide solutions in research, communications, consultancy, training and accreditation for global healthcare and medical tourism.