healthcare Accreditation
All of the hospitals we use are accredited by Quality Health New Zealand (QHNZ), whose stringent quality standards are based on those used in Australia and Canada. Accreditation is about striving for continuous improvement of systems, processes and outcomes, by everyone involved with the service – from medical specialists, doctors and nurses to administrators, caterers and cleaners.
QHNZ itself is accredited by the international umbrella organization, the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). ISQua is the same umbrella organization responsible for accrediting the Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation scheme in the USA and the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation, as well as accreditation organizations in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Recent Surveys
A full survey was undertaken in May 2006 and both Mercy Hospital and Ascot Hospital received a high level of compliance. A mid-term progress survey is undertaken to ensure that all recommendations are addressed and quality improvements are continuing.
These are some of the comments from the surveyors at the mid-term progress survey in October 2007:
“An enthusiasm for quality improvement is seen at all levels of the organization”
“The service delivery improvements meet the organization’s values of service
excellence, ownership and teamwork”
Benefits of Accreditation for Patients
- Assurance that, within the hospital or service, excellent standards exist that also cover client safety, care and rights
- Knowledge that service is being provided by an organization continually striving to improve and accredited by an agency of international standing
- Knowledge that the hospital has met rigorous international standards of quality healthcare provision, as overseen by ISQua