Benchmarking leading countries' accreditation programs for ambulatory healthcare organizations.
10.5124/jkma.2013.56.12.1132
- Author:
Euichul SHIN
1
;
Hojong KIM
;
Ji Yoon KIM
;
Seong Hi PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Accreditation;
Clinics;
Ambulatory care facilities;
Quality improvement;
Patient safety
- MeSH:
Accreditation*;
Ambulatory Care Facilities;
Australia;
Benchmarking*;
Delivery of Health Care*;
General Practice;
Health Facilities;
Korea;
Organizations, Nonprofit;
Patient Safety;
Quality Improvement;
Quality of Health Care;
Republic of Korea;
Societies;
United States
- From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association
2013;56(12):1132-1143
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Healthcare accreditation, which in the Republic of Korea is based on Article 58 of the Medical Service Act of July 2010, is an evaluation system designed to improve the quality of medical services and secure patient safety. Although ambulatory health organizations such as clinics comprise the majority of all health facilities, because they are not currently evaluated, securing quality and patient safety nationwide is not possible under the existing system. This article reviewed the accreditation programs of ambulatory health organizations in leading countries such as the United States and Australia in order to propose a successful model for Korea. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care of the Unites States is a private, non-profit organization established in 1979. Similarly, Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited is a non-profit organization established in 1997 to deliver services to support general practices in Australia. Both are independent professional organizations and perform accreditation programs by a self-regulatory system. As healthcare quality improvement and accreditation have the characteristics of professional service activities, a self-regulatory approach rather than a government-controlled one, and process-oriented evaluation rather than structure-focused evaluation, are known to be effective. We expect an accreditation program for clinics in Korea to be established using a self-regulatory approach by an independent professional organization, not by the government, in the near future.
