Seeking Accreditation for Medical Tourism

Quality Hospitals for Health Tourism

Health travel is the buzzword these days, and an increasing number of countries are entering the medical tourism fray.  This has resulted in stiff competition among medical tourism providers, higher levels of awareness among individuals seeking health travel, and increased pressure on hospitals to acquire internationally recognized accreditation.  Hospitals in the Middle East have recognized the potential of medical tourism, and recently, a record of sorts was created when five hospitals of the Hamad Medical Corporation got international accreditation simultaneously.  Announcing this achievement, JCI Middle East Managing Director Dr Derick Pasternak and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Chairperson Dr Latifa al-Houty said, “the simultaneous accreditation of five hospitals is a first in the Middle East." 

Heading to the Middle East for Health Tourism

Hospitals in the Middle East are keen to be recognized as international centers of medical excellence, and it was in an effort to realize this goal that the hospitals of the Hamad Medical Corporation worked towards getting JCI accreditation.  The process of obtaining JCI accreditation is a stringent one and involves rigid quality control checks pertaining to the standards of patient care and safety, accountability, leadership responsibility, and measures for risk reduction in clinical processes.  The JCI has accredited over 20,000 hospitals and medical centers worldwide.  Commenting on the benefits of JCI accreditation, JCI Middle East Managing Director Dr Derick Pasternak said,  

“The accredited hospitals can participate in a worldwide study to find whether their clinical outcomes are comparable to the best in the world, infection control standards are better than before, and staff satisfaction is improved.”   

The Middle Eastern governments and medical tourism agencies have invested time, effort, and large sums of money in the health travel industry.  With a highly dedicated work force at their disposal, and the desire to make the Middle East a health tourism destination, these ambitions are sure to be realized.

Source: “HMC scores a first in the Middle East,” Gulf Times, January 22, 2007