As the quality consciousness among the patients in the country is gradually increasing, several hospitals both in public as well as private sector are approaching the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health Providers (NABH) for its accreditation which is considered a seal of quality in the hospital services.

As many as 400 applications from different hospitals in different parts of the country are at present pending with the NABH for accreditation. The NABH, which is an arm of Quality Council of India (QCI), has so far granted accreditation to 43 hospitals. Largest number of applications, 60 have been received from Uttar Pradesh.

The process of NABH accreditation for hospitals in India started in the year 2007. New Delhi, with seven hospitals, has the highest number of accredited hospitals.

Accreditation has become important to prove hospital standard in growing competition of healthcare centre. NABH is a member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care and thus NABH standard is at the threshold of being recognised globally. So, if a hospital is NABH accredited, the patient can rest assured that the hospital follows stringent standards as laid down by the accreditation body for providing best in patient care comparable to any international hospital of repute.

Organisations like the Quality Council of India (QCI) and its NABH have designed an exhaustive healthcare standard for hospitals and healthcare providers. NABH standard comprises 500-plus objective elements. In an NABH accredited hospital, there is a strong focus on patient rights & benefits; patient safety; control & prevention of infections; practising good patient-care protocols e.g. special care for vulnerable groups, critically ill patients; better and controlled clinical outcome; and many others.

"We have a thorough check for compliance of all the criteria. A hospital is accredited by us only when it follows all the guidelines," said Dr B K Rana, deputy director, NABH.

After accreditation, hospitals are monitored by assessors to check whether they maintain the quality standards, informed Dr Rana. "After 18 months of accreditation we conduct surprise check of hospital and ask to produce documents to monitor the maintenance of standards. Apart from this, during the renewal of hospital accreditation again assessment is done," Dr Rana said.

In India, at present there are over 15,000 hospitals, including 600 district level hospitals and about 300 medical college hospitals, besides private nursing homes.