Hospital accreditation in Europe.

Health service accreditation systems have explicit standards for organisation against which the participating hospital assesses itself before a structured visit by outside "surveyors". They submit a written report back to the hospital with commendations and recommendations for development prior to a follow-up survey. Accreditation may be awarded for a fixed term or may be with held by an independent assessment Board if the hospital does not meet a defined threshold of standards. In Europe, some government and medical organisations initially distanced themselves from the pilot hospital wide programmes, arguing that they would cost too much and undermine management, or that they were irrelevant to clinical practice. But gradually it became obvious that accreditation worked for hospitals; purchasers and insurers saw its potential for quality and resource management; and professional bodies recognised the links between clinical training, practice and outcome and the environment in which health care is provided. If nothing else, it offered a multi-professional bridge between the existing numerous fragmented systems such as inspecting (statutory safety), visiting (professional training), and monitoring (service contracts). The introduction of accreditation appears to benefit hospitals in many different countries and health systems and provides a vehicle for integrated quality management which is visible to funding agencies, government and the public. Interest is growing within Europe.