Exploring the challenges of educational accreditation of teaching hospitals and providing the solutions

BACKGROUND: In the recent years, the accreditation of educational institutions and hospitals has attracted a lot of attention in different countries to ensure the quality of medical education. In this regard, examining the experiences of different countries will help to improve the world and local standards. This study was an attempt to explore the lived experiences of senior managers about the educational accreditation challenges and appropriate strategies to overcome these challenges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors used a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of the senior managers about educational accreditation of teaching hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to reach data saturation. For this purpose, three semi-structured face-to-face interviews and six electronic interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method. RESULTS: Data analysis showed that the most important challenges of educational accreditation of teaching hospitals were related to standards and criteria, executive policies of accreditation, and educational, attitudinal, and financial infrastructures. The strategies expressed by the participants were categorized into four themes including reviewing and revising standards and criteria, planning for education, providing human and financial resources, and modifying the executive structure of accreditation. CONCLUSIONS: In order to improve the quality of educational accreditation programs, it is necessary to identify and find a solution for the existing challenges by experiential support of the senior managers of teaching hospitals and the other stakeholders (e.g., faculty members and students). It also provides an opportunity for educational policy-makers to improve the hospital's educational accreditation program.