Hospital institutions have as their main mission to provide the best possible care to all their patients. For precisely this reason, every hospital unit needs to constantly strive for the improvement of the quality of its management and care. Integration between areas is a path to follow, in addition to the use of the correct tools and analysis of accurate indicators.
One way to achieve excellent parameters in hospital care is through the certification and accreditation of entities dedicated to regulating and evaluating the functioning of institutions. Among them, we can highlight the ONA (National Accreditation Organization).
In today's article, we'll look at how your institution can prepare for the evaluation.
Management and accreditation
The management of a hospital unit is a complex task, as it requires organizing all processes in an interconnected way. After all, all sectors interfere with others in some manner. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the whole, and not just the areas in isolation.
The accreditation process follows the same reasoning. The objective is to make the best possible use of existing resources, and this only happens when the organization as a whole is rationalized and ordered.
For this, it's important to define quality metrics and indicators. (See also our article on success indicators for hospitals). By keeping an eye on the data, it becomes easier to make decisions and focus efforts on areas with a higher error rate. It's even better if all the information can be monitored through a single strategic management solution.
Types of accreditation and specific requirements
Accredited ONA 1
At this initial level of accreditation, institutions are evaluated against the minimum legal and technical requirements for them to operate. Among these:
- Standardized key processes
- Risk Identification Programs
- Presence of control instruments
It is also recommended that the hospital unit has already implemented:
- Competency-based management model
- Setting organizational goals and objectives
- Systematized indicators on quality and safety
Reorganizing processes is one of the most complicated tasks for most organizations that apply it.
Full ONA Accreditation 2
In addition to receiving ONA 1 accreditation, a healthcare entity needs to have a planning system focused on integrated management. Here's where we can reconnect with the need for solutions that contribute to process improvement.
The modernization of hospital Information Technology and the use of integrated management software are a basic necessity for organizations seeking this type of accreditation. The object of study in this case is the quality of the institution's information flow and the channel used to transmit such data.
Agile processes, which function through automated systems, minimize the chances of error. At this level of accreditation, which is valid for 2 years, factors such as the following are also evaluated:
- Existence of continuous training programs
- Formation of multidisciplinary teams to promote process improvements
Accredited with ONA 3 Excellence
Hospital units that wish to receive ONA 3 accreditation must have the support of complete performance management systems, and this at each organizational level. These systems must be 100% computerized% and allow for full metric maintenance.
Evaluations should be constant, all to improve results. In this sense, continuous improvement programs generate valid results for aligning the performance of the staff with the organization's overall objectives.
Does your organization want to be accredited but needs help? Count on us! Contact us to understand how we can help you!
