Importance of Standards, Certifications and Accreditation's — International

Two hospitals in the same suburb both have clean lobbies and polite receptionists. One has a plaque saying it is accredited; the other has nothing. A patient's family has a few minutes to choose. What does the plaque actually promise, who issued it, and does it matter in court if something goes wrong? Standards, certification and accreditation are the tools by which a hospital proves its quality to people who cannot judge it themselves.

In two minutes

Standards say what good practice looks like, certification confirms that a system meets a standard, and accreditation is a recognised body's verdict that a hospital or laboratory meets set quality benchmarks; most are voluntary, but they shape the legal standard of care and, in some Acts, are built into the law.

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