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PloS One 2020The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits the tertiary education programs in the areas of applied and natural science, computing,...
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits the tertiary education programs in the areas of applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. ABET offers accreditation in the United States and other regions in the world that lack such entities such as Gulf Cooperative Counties (GCC). Though ABET accreditation is voluntary, graduates of the ABET-accredited programs are considered equivalent in knowledge, behaviors, and attitude with global standards. The process of ABET accreditation takes months or years depending upon the gap with readiness and resources. The objective of this study is to compile and prioritize the list of critical success factors (CSFs) to commit resources optimally for sustained academic quality assurance and ABET accreditation. The triangulation research designed has been employed. Firstly, the observation of the ABET accreditation process of multiple programs at King Khalid University (KKU) helped in identifying 11 CSFs in three categories namely Program design and execution, Quality culture and excellence, and Institutional infrastructure and support. Further, these CSFs have been explored in the literature in the area of ABET accreditation. Finally, the research employs a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (Fuzzy AHP) and full consistency method (FUCOM) to rank the relative importance of these CSFs and their dimensions for sustained academic quality assurance and ABET accreditation. The incorporation of these CSFs will help institutions in the GCC and other regions to get their academic programs ABET-accredited in an optimal manner.
Topics: Accreditation; Curriculum; Educational Measurement; Engineering; Humans; Saudi Arabia; United States; Universities
PubMed: 32941488
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239140 -
Colombia Medica (Cali, Colombia) 2021Accreditation is an external, systematic, periodic, and voluntary evaluation process to which health care institutions submit themselves in order to demonstrate...
INTRODUCTION
Accreditation is an external, systematic, periodic, and voluntary evaluation process to which health care institutions submit themselves in order to demonstrate compliance with superior levels of quality of care. The Icontec, through an evaluative model, accredits the quality of health institutions in Colombia.
METHODS
Descriptive cross-sectional study following the recommendations of the survey study report. Using an electronic format, 22 health institutions with experience in the Icontec accreditation process were surveyed. The instrument evaluated three thematic axes of the process: added value provided by the . The measurement was carried out using a Likert-type scale and a descriptive statistical analysis to establish the perception of the phases of the process.
RESULTS
the items with the best perception were the humanization of care (86.4%) followed by patient safety and teamwork (81.8%). After accreditation, the quality of the processes improved (77.4%), infection prevention and control (68.1%) and physician commitment (63.6%). 54.6% felt that evaluators use different methods of evaluation. 63.6% of the respondents considered that Icontec does not comply with the times defined for the delivery of the report.
CONCLUSION
the Icontec accreditation system adds value to health institutions in most of the thematic areas evaluated, especially in the humanization of care and patient safety. The lowest perception is presented in the increase of physicians' commitment.
Topics: Accreditation; Colombia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Delivery of Health Care; Humans; Perception
PubMed: 35431356
DOI: 10.25100/cm.v52i3.4894 -
International Journal For Equity in... Jan 2021Breastfeeding has positive impacts on the health, environment, and economic wealth of families and countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Baby...
BACKGROUND
Breastfeeding has positive impacts on the health, environment, and economic wealth of families and countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in 1991 as a global program to incentivize maternity services to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (Ten Steps). These were developed to ensure that maternity services remove barriers for mothers and families to successfully initiate breastfeeding and to continue breastfeeding through referral to community support after hospital discharge. While more than three in four births in Australia take place in public hospitals, in 2020 only 26% of Australian hospitals were BFHI-accredited. So what is the social return to investing in BFHI accreditation in Australia, and does it incentivize BFHI accreditation? This study aimed to examine the social value of maintaining the BFHI accreditation in one public maternity unit in Australia using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework. This novel method was developed in 2000 and measures social, environmental and economic outcomes of change using monetary values.
METHOD
The study was non-experimental and was conducted in the maternity unit of Calvary Public Hospital, Canberra, an Australian BFHI-accredited public hospital with around 1000 births annually. This facility provided an opportunity to illustrate costs for maintaining BFHI accreditation in a relatively affluent urban population. Stakeholders considered within scope of the study were the mother-baby dyad and the maternity facility. We interviewed the hospital's Director of Maternity Services and the Clinical Midwifery Educator, guided by a structured questionnaire, which examined the cost (financial, time and other resources) and benefits of each of the Ten Steps. Analysis was informed by the Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework, which consists of mapping the stakeholders, identifying and valuing outcomes, establishing impact, calculating the ratio and conducting sensitivity analysis. This information was supplemented with micro costing studies from the literature that measure the benefits of the BFHI.
RESULTS
The social return from the BFHI in this facility was calculated to be AU$ 1,375,050. The total investment required was AU$ 24,433 per year. Therefore, the SROI ratio was approximately AU$ 55:1 (sensitivity analysis: AU$ 16-112), which meant that every AU$1 invested in maintaining BFHI accreditation by this maternal and newborn care facility generated approximately AU$55 of benefit.
CONCLUSIONS
Scaled up nationally, the BFHI could provide important benefits to the Australian health system and national economy. In this public hospital, the BFHI produced social value greater than the cost of investment, providing new evidence of its effectiveness and economic gains as a public health intervention. Our findings using a novel tool to calculate the social rate of return, indicate that the BHFI accreditation is an investment in the health and wellbeing of families, communities and the Australian economy, as well as in health equity.
Topics: Accreditation; Australia; Breast Feeding; Female; Health Promotion; Hospitals; Humans; Infant Welfare; Infant, Newborn; Organizational Policy; Postnatal Care; Pregnancy; Social Values; Surveys and Questionnaires; World Health Organization
PubMed: 33413439
DOI: 10.1186/s12939-020-01365-3 -
American Journal of Pharmaceutical... Jun 2020The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all facets of pharmacy education, including accreditation and certification activities. In a very short period of time, Doctor of...
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all facets of pharmacy education, including accreditation and certification activities. In a very short period of time, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs and pharmacy technician programs had to convert to teaching classes online, experiential education sites had to figure out how to train student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians while ensuring their safety, continuing pharmacy education providers had to move their in-person courses online, and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) had to postpone accreditation site visits. Given the challenges faced by our constituencies, the ACPE implemented processes and suggested solutions that stayed within the boundaries of the standards while at the same time allowing flexibility so that organizations could achieve their educational outcomes even given the constraints produced by the pandemic.
Topics: Accreditation; Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Education, Distance; Education, Pharmacy; Humans; Organizational Innovation; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Problem-Based Learning; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 32665719
DOI: 10.5688/ajpe8135 -
Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem 2021to identify the dominant dimensions of the authentic leadership of nurses in a private hospital network and to verify the association with job satisfaction and...
OBJECTIVES
to identify the dominant dimensions of the authentic leadership of nurses in a private hospital network and to verify the association with job satisfaction and accreditation.
METHODS
cross-sectional, analytical study carried out in 11 hospitals with 282 nurses, of which 94 were leaders and 188 were led. Participants answered the Authentic Leardership Questionnaire and the Job Satisfaction Survey.
RESULTS
there was a significant difference between the assessment of leaders and followers in all dimensions of the Authentic Leardership Questionnaire. Regarding the association of authentic leadership and job satisfaction, a significant positive moderate correlation was found among the employees. In hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International, leaders were perceived as more transparent by their subordinates.
CONCLUSIONS
there was correlation between authentic leadership and job satisfaction and authentic leadership and the accreditation model among the subordinates.
Topics: Accreditation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Hospitals, Private; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Leadership; Personal Satisfaction; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34076214
DOI: 10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0227 -
Global Public Health 2011In recent years, dozens of countries have introduced accreditation and other quality improvement initiatives. A great deal of information is available regarding best...
In recent years, dozens of countries have introduced accreditation and other quality improvement initiatives. A great deal of information is available regarding best practices in high- and middle-income countries; however, little is available to guide developing nations seeking to introduce an accreditation programme. This paper describes the outputs and lessons learned in the first year of establishing an accreditation programme in Liberia, a developing nation in West Africa that in 2003 emerged from a brutal 14-year civil war. The Liberian experience of developing and implementing a government-sponsored, widespread accreditation programme may provide insight to other low-income and post-conflict countries seeking a way to drive rapid, system-wide reform in the health system, even with limited infrastructure and extremely challenging conditions.
Topics: Accreditation; Developing Countries; Health Facilities; Humans; Liberia; Quality Assurance, Health Care
PubMed: 20623390
DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2010.489052 -
British Journal of Cancer Aug 2018Predictive biomarkers allow clinicians to optimise cancer treatment decisions. Therefore, molecular biomarker test results need to be accurate and swiftly available. To...
BACKGROUND
Predictive biomarkers allow clinicians to optimise cancer treatment decisions. Therefore, molecular biomarker test results need to be accurate and swiftly available. To ensure quality of oncology biomarker testing, external quality assessments (EQA) for somatic variant analyses were organised. This study hypothesised whether laboratory characteristics influence the performance of laboratories and whether these can be imposed before authorisation of biomarker testing.
METHODS
Longitudinal EQA data from the European Society of Pathology were available over six (metastatic colorectal cancer) and four years (non-small cell lung cancer), including the percentage of analysis errors and technical failures, and information on laboratory characteristics (accreditation status, laboratory setting, number of samples analysed and detection method). Statistical models for repeated measurements were used to analyse the association between the EQA results and the laboratory characteristics.
RESULTS
Laboratory accreditation was associated with fewer analysis errors in early stages of biomarker introduction into the laboratory. Analysing more samples, or university and research laboratories showed better performance. Changing the detection method did not have an effect.
CONCLUSION
The indicators support the clinicians in choosing molecular pathology laboratories by improving quality assurance and guaranteeing patient safety. Accreditation of laboratories, centralisation of biomarker testing or a university and research setting should be stimulated.
Topics: Accreditation; Biomarkers, Tumor; Genetic Variation; Humans; Laboratories; Medical Oncology; Neoplasm Metastasis; Quality Control; Research Design
PubMed: 30140047
DOI: 10.1038/s41416-018-0204-9 -
Surgery Apr 2024Significant variation in rectal cancer care has been demonstrated in the United States. The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer was established in 2017 to...
BACKGROUND
Significant variation in rectal cancer care has been demonstrated in the United States. The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer was established in 2017 to improve the quality of rectal cancer care through standardization and emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this study was to understand the perceived value and barriers to achieving the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer accreditation.
METHODS
An electronic survey was developed, piloted, and distributed to rectal cancer programs that had already achieved or were interested in pursuing the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer accreditation. The survey contained 40 questions with a combination of Likert scale, multiple choice, and open-ended questions to provide comments. This was a mixed methods study; descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.
RESULTS
A total of 85 rectal cancer programs were sent the survey (22 accredited, 63 interested). Responses were received from 14 accredited programs and 41 interested programs. Most respondents were program directors (31%) and program coordinators (40%). The highest-ranked responses regarding the value of the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer accreditation included "improved quality and culture of rectal cancer care," "enhanced program organization and coordination," and "challenges our program to provide optimal, high-quality care." The most frequently cited barriers to the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer accreditation were cost and lack of personnel.
CONCLUSION
Our survey found significant perceived value in the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer accreditation. Adhering to standards and a multidisciplinary approach to rectal cancer care are critical components of a high-quality care rectal cancer program.
Topics: Humans; United States; Internship and Residency; Surveys and Questionnaires; Rectal Neoplasms; Accreditation; Data Accuracy
PubMed: 38267342
DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2023.12.005 -
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory... Jun 1999In 1958, the American Association of Blood Banks introduced the first edition of Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services. That same year, the association... (Review)
Review
In 1958, the American Association of Blood Banks introduced the first edition of Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services. That same year, the association implemented the Inspection and Accreditation Program. This program served the association well for 40 years; however, factors such as the application of Current Good Manufacturing Practices by the Food and Drug Administration, the implementation of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 by the Health Care Financing Administration, managed care, competition, and increased cost pressures have changed the way the blood banking community conducts its business. In the early 1990s the board of directors recognized the need to reevaluate the Inspection and Accreditation Program and developed a strategic plan for implementation of a new accreditation program, with an emphasis on prevention rather than detection of errors. The first step in the process was the development of the Accreditation Program Committee. The committee was charged to develop and coordinate a program that would bring the accreditation process in tune with the current climate of blood banking and move it into the 21st century. The board charged the committee with the development of a program that recognizes the differences and similarities within the diverse groups of American Association of Blood Banks institutional members and to take into consideration how they do business and respond to regulations, standards, and other requirements.
Topics: Accreditation; Blood Banks; Blood Transfusion; Humans; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Societies, Scientific; United States
PubMed: 10383794
DOI: 10.5858/1999-123-0468-WDTAOE -
Revue Scientifique Et Technique... Dec 2018The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) is an independent, autonomous and constitutionally established institution that provides primary funding for higher...
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) is an independent, autonomous and constitutionally established institution that provides primary funding for higher education in Pakistan, which it also oversees, regulates and accredits. According to the HEC Charter: 'the HEC of Pakistan may set up national or regional evaluation councils or authorise any existing council/or similar body to carry out accreditation of institutions including their departments, facilities and disciplines by giving them appropriate ratings'. At present, 14 accreditation bodies operate under the umbrella of the HEC. Five were established under the HEC's Quality Assurance Agency, while nine councils associated with the accreditation and evaluation of medical institutes are independent bodies that were extant before the HEC was created, and are recognised by the HEC. The authors will discuss the role of the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council (PVMC), the accreditation of veterinary institutes and associated issues of concern. They suggest that the PVMC should adopt an unbiased approach to new and established veterinary institutes to attain uniform accreditation of all veterinary institutes throughout the country. In addition, the government should consult the accreditation councils and professional bodies before setting up new institutes. The authors also suggest that, instead of placing new veterinary institutes under the aegis of non-veterinary universities, they should be made sub-campuses of established veterinary universities. In time, they will emerge as established institutes in their own right.
Topics: Accreditation; Pakistan
PubMed: 30964468
DOI: 10.20506/rst.37.3.2886