Healthcare facility accreditation is a rigorous, transparent, and comprehensive evaluation process conducted by an independent, external accreditation body.

A healthcare facility undergoes a rigorous, transparent, and comprehensive evaluation of its systems, processes, and performance by qualified auditors and assessors to ensure they meet pre-determined and applicable published national standards. Prior to the external evaluation—i.e., the assessment visit—the healthcare facility must conduct a comprehensive self-assessment to determine its level of preparedness and how close or distant it is from achieving full compliance with the standards. Accreditation represents public recognition by a healthcare accreditation body that a healthcare facility has achieved a satisfactory level of compliance with accreditation standards.

Benefits of accreditation:

• Provides a framework for organizational and administrative structure that benefits facility managers and leaders.

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  Helps improve patient safety and reduces imminent risks, adverse outcomes, and medical errors.

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  Enhances community confidence in the quality and safety of care provided.

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  It provides healthcare facilities with a useful and objective assessment from experienced evaluators of their internal clinical and administrative processes, as well as effective proposals for further improvement of their operations and services to the community.

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  It demonstrates (in the long term) increased efficiency and improved lean practices, resulting in reduced waste and more optimal outcomes with minimal resource consumption.

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  It helps improve the competitiveness of healthcare facilities.

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  It works to comply with the regulations and systems of the Ministry of Health, which have linked national accreditation through the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI) with the licensing of private healthcare facilities. This requires all healthcare facilities operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to register with CBAHI and join its national accreditation programs.

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  It provides better reimbursement by increasing the confidence of patients, insurance companies, and other third-party stakeholders.

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  It provides a powerful tool for continuous quality improvement efforts in healthcare facilities.

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  It provides significant opportunities for learning and performance improvement.