Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, is claiming to have emerged as the first hospital worldwide to obtain the Joint Commission International's (JCI) accreditation for a disease specific programme.

It has been certified for its Acute Stroke (Brain Attack) programme. Disease specific certification involves the use of a standardised evidence based treatment protocol for that particular disease and every patient coming into the hospital with that particular disease has the same protocol being applied.

This also ensures uniform standards of care to all the patients bringing down the cost of treatment and significantly improves clinical outcomes. The Hospital has also obtained JCI accreditation, being the third among the group. The process of accreditation and post-accreditation surveillance ensures continuous focus on patient safety and quality improvement.

Experts at Apollo Hospitals informed, the patient (acute stroke) stay at hospital has been brought down from 11 days to 4.5 days after the protocol.