Impact of the Accreditation Program of the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions on the Safety Dimension of the Institute of Medicine Quality

BACKGROUND: Although hospital accreditation is recognized as a tool for improving healthcare, there are inconsistent results regarding its impact on healthcare quality. In Saudi Arabia, it is mandatory for all Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals to be accredited by the Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI). PURPOSE: This study measured the impact of the CBAHI accreditation program on the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) safety dimension in Madinah. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using retrospective data gathered from a review of hospital records over 60 months (ie, 12 months before, 36 during, and 12 post-accreditation). The data were analyzed using piecewise (segmented) regression analysis. RESULTS: The three indicators (ie: incident reports, medication errors, and nosocomial infection) were continuously improved compared to the data before accreditation, as a results of implementing the CBAHI accreditation program. Therefore, the CBAHI had a significantly positively impacts on MOH hospitals’ safety dimension. CONCLUSION: Complying with the CBAHI standards can help reduce the rates of incident reports, medication errors, nosocomial infections, and post-admission mortality. This study provides insight for MOH hospitals and opportunities to expand the accreditation program to improve the quality of healthcare services.