Ahmed Al Kuwaiti
University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Title: The impact of accreditation on enhancing patient safety and improving the quality of care indicators at King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU), Saudi Arabia
Biography
Biography: Ahmed Al Kuwaiti
Abstract
Background: Health Care Organizations [HCO] in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA] are increasingly aware of the importance of accreditation and a significant proportion of resources have been deployed by each hospital to achieve accreditation. It has been revealed that accredited hospitals are performing better than non-accredited hospitals on a range of quality indicators. However, its effectiveness is very rarely addressed in literatures, especially in Saudi Arabian context.
Aim: This study is to be conducted to find out the impact of JCI accreditation on patient safety and quality of care indicators at KFHU, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Method: A well-structured department-specific accreditation management program has been developed and it will be implemented throughout the intervention period. Appropriate protocols and training programs will be provided to all the relevant stakeholders during the intervention period. Two types of outcome parameters are to be studied viz. (i) Performance indicators (KPIs) challenging patient safety consisting of Health care associated infections, blood transfusion reactions, and patient falls and (ii) Quality of care indicators includes Patients and employees’ satisfaction indices. These outcomes are to be studied at three intervals viz. Pre-accreditation Phase, accreditation period and post accreditation period.
Results: Performance indicators and Quality of care indicators were found to be sensitive to Joint Commission International(JCI) accreditation and that significantly improved post –accreditation: HealthCare associated infection per 1000 patients days (4.25- 3.5- 2.13; p<0.001), blood transfusion reaction % ( 1.4 – 0.09 – 0.01; P<0.001), patient falls per 1000 patients days (7.18 –
3.65 – 0.97: p<0.001), and Patients satisfaction % (54 – 71 – 89; p<0.001), Employees’ satisfaction % (69.5 – 78 – 93; p =0.034).
Conclusion: JCI accreditation has an overall statistically highly significant improvement on performance and quality of care indicators.