Accreditation

Description

Politicians are worried whether health services are providing value for money. Members of the public worry whether they will be able to receive the health care they need, when they need it. We all worry that the health services that treat us when we are ill might be causing more harm than good. In the United States, Australia and Canada most hospitals and other health services are scrutinised by professional peers to establish adherence to good practice, in a system known as accreditation. Why have accreditation systems developed, what form do they take, what issues do they raise, and how useful are they in achieving the goals of health services to provide better care? This book examines these questions and explains the policy and the practical issues in establishing such systems. It will be of interest to a wide range of health professionals as well as students of health policy and health services management.