Hospital Accreditation and Certification
• History of Hospital Accreditation
Taiwan began hospital accreditation programs in 1978, accrediting specific teaching hospitals providing practicum for medical students. It wasn’t until the proclamation and implementation of the Medical Care Act in 1986 that the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) began to conduct the accreditation of hospitals at all levels across Taiwan in 1988 (Article 23 of the Medical Care Act). Seeing that hospital accreditation in industrialized countries is generally planned and organized by non-governmental organizations, the Joint Commission of Taiwan (JCT) took on this mission in 1999. JCT provides services in hospital accreditation and certification and healthcare-related on-site inspection. Moreover, JCT aims to help healthcare organizations improve their service quality with recognition of accreditation and certification, thereby achieving JCT’s mission of enhancing healthcare quality in hospital services.
Development Stages of Hospital Accreditation in Taiwan
As a professional hospital accreditation organization, JCT has received an external evaluation from the International Society for Healthcare and Quality (ISQua) and successfully achieved three accreditations in “Organization”, “Standards”, and “Surveyor Training Program” demonstrating the accreditation system meets international standards.
JCT Standards are Accredited by the ISQua External Evaluation
• The Hospital Accreditation System
The focus of hospital accreditation transformed from the evaluation of the infrastructure of hospitals to the process and outcome of services provided. Thus, the health authorities entrusted JCT to plan accreditation system reform so that the new system would respond to the needs of stakeholders to promote healthcare quality in Taiwan. In below figure, we can introduce with procedure of accreditation standard development.
Procedure of Accreditation Standard Development and Revision
• Features of Hospital Accreditation in Taiwan
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General Hospital Accreditation
Characteristics
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Taiwan Hospital Accreditation
Characteristics
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|---|---|
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Is the accreditation voluntary or mandatory?
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Voluntary
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Is accreditation an element of health insurance reimbursement?
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Yes
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Is the accreditation conducted by a government or non-government agency
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Independent agency (JCT)
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Number of healthcare organization accreditation bodies in Taiwan
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One
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How long is the accreditation valid?
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4 years
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What is the type of accreditation?
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On-site survey
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Is accreditation free of charge or not?
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Charged (based on hospital type)
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If the accreditation results are announced to the public?
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Yes
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• Number of Accredited Hospitals in Taiwan
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Types of accredited hospitals
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Number
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|---|---|
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Hospitals
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415
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Teaching hospitals
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136
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Psychiatry hospitals
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43
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Psychiatric teaching hospitals
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10
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Children's hospitals
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4
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• Hospital Accreditation Surveyor System
The hospital accreditation system analyzes and assesses if hospitals are operating properly. The surveyors carrying out the accreditation missions are the soul of the system. The Joint Commission of Taiwan (JCT) assists the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in establishing the accreditation surveyor appointment, training, and evaluation. This surveyor development mechanism aids in enhancing the quality of accreditation, advancing the surveyor's understanding of accreditation assessment, and thereby maintaining neutrality in accreditation. The following figure explains the operation of the hospital accreditation surveyor system.
Operation of the Hospital Accreditation Surveyor System
• Other Inspection/ Certification
In addition to general hospital accreditation, JCT's operation in accreditation, inspection, and certification include the following:
