Being accredited as a center of quality is one of the essential elements to provide a better service and to be recognized as a health and wellness center allowing to access to a platform of health tourism. Under this premise, the health cluster members wanted to know firsthand what is being done in the country in this regard and what they can do to certificate their centers.
Why is it important to have a Health label?
A label certifies organizations following a model of optimal quality in its services and facilities. It gives confidence to the client/patient with the organization and its professionals.
Dr. Josep M. Paya, ADI’s adviser in health, talked about health tourism and wellness, and listed the main arguments that lead a health tourist to select a destination to receive specific treatments. Then, he mentioned different models of accreditation depending on the structures seeking certification and its adjustments. Thus, we must distinguish between Joint Commission accreditations, certifying exclusively hospital organizations, EFQM accreditation model, more suitable for company managements, and ISO certificates, more focused on the systematization of processes.
Dr. Josep M. Casanelles responsible for the SAAS (Servei Andorrà d’Atenció Sanitària) quality Department explained how the hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell, has initiated several certification proposals in many areas of the hospital and is currently adopting the Joint Commission model.
The Joint Commission accreditation is a unique model, born in the USA, initially planned for Hospital organizations.
Thus far, it has been implanted worldwide, mostly in private centers. A version was created as well to certify primary care and social care centers. It comprises 287 standards and 1147 measuring elements, which are the criteria that allow us to assess an organization. The hospital currently has 60% of the accreditation accomplished and the Joint Commission label is expected to be achieved within 18 months. The SAAS owns also EFQM and ISO accreditations in other areas such as El Cedre and the Hospital lab service.
The manager of the company Ecotècnic, Francesc Zamora, explained the rules and procedures that must be met to achieve quality certifications in different areas and talked about the accreditations they give themselves as a certification company.
The participants were very interested to know what may be the best label for their centers and what steps they should follow to achieve it.
