[Accreditation in health care]

Abstract

Besides the rapid development of healing procedures and healthcare, efficiency of care, institutional performance and safe treatment are receiving more and more attention in the 21st century. Accreditation, a scientifically proven tool for improving patient safety, has been used effectively in healthcare for nearly a hundred years, but only started to spread worldwide since the 1990s. The support and active participation of medical staff are determining factors in operating and getting accross the nationally developed, upcoming Hungarian accreditation system. However, this active assistance cannot be expected without the participants' understanding of the basic goals and features of the system. The presence of the ISO certification in Hungary, well-known by healthcare professionals, further complicates the understanding and orientation among quality management and improvement systems. This paper aims to provide an overview of the history, goals, function and importance of healthcare accreditation, and its similarities and differences regarding ISO certification.

Keywords: accreditation; akkreditáció; betegbiztonság; minőségfejlesztés; minőségügy; patient safety; quality improvement; quality management.