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NABH Plans Quality Standards For Blood Banks, Medical Imaging Services
The National Accreditation Board for Hospital & Healthcare Providers (NABH),
set up by Quality Council of India (QCI), is planning to extend its services
into the accreditation of blood banks, medical imaging services, dental clinics,
nursing centres and ayurvedic hospitals soon. The move is in tune with the
increasing demand for accredited healthcare establishments for promoting
healthcare tourism in a big way.
The NABH has already set up a technical committee to draft accreditation
guidelines for blood banks. The NABH standards to be prepared by the
accreditation committee would form the basis of the accreditation. The increase
in the nuber of blood banks and cord-blood banks in the country has made
accreditation of such institutions a must, QCI sources said.
NABH has also constituted a technical committee to draft accreditation
guidelines for medical imaging services. The medical imaging services is among
the least regulated areas in the healthcare sector and a quality assurance
through accreditation can help quality conscious firms a lot, sources felt.
The NABH would concentrate on other areas like dental centres, nursing
centres and ayurvedic clinics after finalizing the accreditation guidelines for
medical imaging and blood banks, they said.
As reported earlier, NABH has already started accrediting the hospitals in
the country. While two of them have received accreditation, 23 hospitals have
submitted their applications during the last few months. NABH has also enrolled
94 specially trained assessors to undertake the inspection and provide necessary
guidance to hospitals.
The NABH board consists of thirteen members drawn from key stakeholders in
the healthcare industry. Indian Medical Association (IMA), Consumer Coordination
Council, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), Indian Nursing
Council, Department of Biotechnology, Sree Chitra Tribunal Institute of Medical
Sciences and technology, Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services,
industry representatives, association representatives, representative from
medical education sector etc are all part of the NABH.
(Ref : Chronicle Pharmabiz dated November 16, 2006)
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