Frequently asked questions - FAQ

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Frequently asked questions - FAQ

  1. What are the benefits of becoming accredited or certified?
  2. Which institutions can be accredited or certified?
  3. What is the difference between accreditation and certification? 
  4. Where do the standards that need to be met and implemented come from?
  5. How are the visits conducted?
  6. Who are the listeners?
  7. How long does the evaluation process take?
  8. How long is the accreditation/certification valid?
  9. What are the 4 levels of accreditation/certification?
  10. What is included in the cost of the accreditation/certification procedure ?

1- What are the benefits of becoming accredited or certified?

As an independent international study of already accredited institutions has shown, the accreditation process has resulted in :

  • 98%, of the institutions to note that accreditation has increased its reputation, which is reflected in an increase in clientele in the vast majority of them
  • 74% institutions to find that patients have directly benefited from accreditation. 
  • The same percentage of institutions found that staff and teams benefited directly from accreditation. 
  • 83% institutions to find that the quality of care has been directly positively affected by accreditation.
  • 90% of institutions believe that accreditation has had a direct impact on the overall effectiveness of the institution
Details of this independent study are available on the page : https://euromedi.fr/pourquoi-se-faire-accrediter/ 

2- Which institutions can be accredited/certified?

All health care institutions in the broadest sense of the word can be accredited or certified. This ranges from hospitals to nursing homes (ehpad) and specialised clinics. But EuroMedi has also decided to accredit activities directly related to the health sector, such as medical transport, medical simulation centres and medical software. 

3- What is the difference between accreditation and certification? 

Accreditation refers to an audit of the entire health care organisation. This is the case when all the services of a hospital or clinic are examined. The same applies to MR-MRS and EHPAD. But sometimes hospitals or clinics only want to highlight certain activities that have built their reputation. In this case, a specific department (operating theatres, obstetrics department, etc.) or a patient pathway, for example, will be certified. However, the process used and the level of requirements are identical, as are the auditors. 

Visit our comparison page for more details.

4- Where do the standards to be respected and implemented come from?

The standards to be respected and implemented come essentially from internationally recognised good practices found in scientific literature and in the recommendations published by learned societies, notably, for example, by the WHO (World Health Organisation). They are listed by our scientific monitoring team and validated by our Scientific Committee before being included in our guides.

5- How are the visits conducted?

There are three types of visits (gap analysisThe first two are optional.) While the first two are optional, the last one is obviously compulsory. The institution is informed of the period (but not the exact days) during which this final visit will take place. The auditors will examine the various documents used within the institution, but above all they will meet with most of the stakeholders: from management to patients/residents and of course to staff. The number of days of the visit depends of course on the size of the institution. 

6- Who are the listeners?

The auditors are all health professionals (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, etc.) or management professionals (directors of hospitals or MRs, MRSs, EHPADs, management and logistics specialists, etc.). They all have at least 20 years of experience in the sector, come from different countries and have received specific training in auditing 

7-How long does the evaluation process take?

    The length of the assessment process depends on two key criteria: the size of the institution and its degree of maturity in relation to the required standards. It usually lasts between 18 and 36 months. Motivation to commit to the process is obviously also a factor in progress.

    8- How long is the accreditation/certification valid?

    The accreditation/certification, for the same level, is valid for 2 years for the first 2 cycles, 3 years for the 3rd cycle and finally 4 years for the following ones. This is to avoid that the good practices implemented are abandoned over time

    9-What are the 4 levels of accreditation/certification?

      The 4 levels of accreditation/certification correspond to the achievement of increasingly demanding standards:

          1. the first level, a star, corresponds to the implementation of basic good practices ensuring the safety and well-being of all stakeholders
          2. the second level, two stars, corresponds to a more dynamic approach with the addition of more ambitious criteria. For the achievement of each of the basic good practices, the institution has set concrete objectives, known to all, and continuously measures their achievement
          3. the third level, three stars, corresponds to an even more proactive approach to quality and safety with criteria that meet the best practices worldwide, as well as a real policy of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). And, for their achievement, not only the implementation of concrete objectives, their measurement but also a continuous improvement process.
          4. the fourth level, Premium, includes all the requirements of the first three levels. But in addition, the institution is recognised as a benchmark in its sector through innovative practices, publications on its achievements and continuous improvement in all areas.

        10-What does the cost of the accreditation/certification procedure include?

         

        The cost of accreditation/certification includes :

        • Basic training in the accreditation/certification process
        • access to the Auditor self-assessment tool
        • updating the tool and additional information in the guides
        • support by our scientific and IT teams when needed
        • the final visit by the auditors
        • the final report
        • submission of evidence of accreditation/certification

        The only two optional elements are the gap anlaysis and intermediates.