Preparation for hospital accreditation: an efficient and practical approach.

Hospital accreditation has been criticized for its emphasis on structure and documentation. Less attention is given to the clinical process and outcomes of care. How can the accreditation process become a meaningful part of day-to-day hospital management? Four approaches are discussed. (1) The development of industrial type quality assurance programmes that detect negative patient outcomes and improve patient care. (2) The appointment of a Quality Assurance/Accreditation Coordinator with appropriate authority. (3) The establishment of an effective Quality Assurance/Accreditation Committee. (4) The continuous review of accreditation standards through normal committee function and department review, and trial surveys. Such strategies will enable hospital accreditation to develop beyond a paper exercise and to provide the foundation for excellence in health care delivery.