Hyderabad, August 31, 2020: The Apollo Hospitals Group marked its 15th anniversary of JCI accreditation that recognizes its commitment to excellence across the spectrum of care with a unique webinar on patient safety and quality of care in association with Joint Commission International, USA (JCI) and the National Accreditation Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). It was in July 2005 that the Apollo Hospitals Group clocked a major milestone when Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi became the 1st hospital in the country and the 6th in Asia to be accredited by the JCI. Since then, eight hospitals in the group including the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre have joined the elite list of JCI accredited hospitals for best global practices, patient care and safety.
Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “It is a matter of immense pride that our JCI accreditation journey that began 15 years ago with the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has seen eight hospitals in our group achieving this gold standard for international accreditation reflecting the provision of the highest levels of patient care and patient safety. The most recent addition to this list is the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), which is the first advanced cancer centre in India to be JCI accredited. Apollo Hospitals has always been in the forefront of setting and observing benchmarks for patient safety and quality care and our accreditation journey is testimony to the structured and seamless patient care we deliver, the high standards of benchmarks we adhere to, and our commitment to transform the healthcare ecosystem in India.”
The webinar organised to mark the occasion saw participation from healthcare leaders, quality heads, administrators, policymakers, patient safety experts and healthcare management students with a passion for quality and patient safety. Interactive sessions with the leadership of the Apollo Hospitals Group, JCI and NABH on patient safety and quality of care took the participants through the fundamentals of the accreditation process as well as challenges faced in difficult times, highlighting ways in which the healthcare community can advance quality improvement in a post-pandemic world. The experts also shared their vision for better patient safety and quality care as well as pragmatic insights for implementation across organizations for shaping quality patient care.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “Our continued success in attaining these milestones is a result of our constant endeavour to provide world-class care while maintaining the highest benchmarks when it comes to patient care and safety. We are committed to paving the way in providing the best of quality care to our patients by bringing in the most advanced technologies and international standards of treatment.”
Ms Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group added her remarks and said, “Apollo Hospitals has always set benchmarks in patient care, clinical research and healthcare delivery. From being the first JCI accredited hospital 15 years ago to having eight accredited hospitals today, the recognition for the work we do has only strengthened our resolve to further upscale our commitment to bringing quality health care standards in India which is on par or even better than global standards.”
Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “We are committed in our efforts to achieve excellence, and usher in an era of delivering structured and seamless patient care. Patients today expect the best in quality care and we believe that accreditation can empower healthcare organizations to provide high quality and safe patient care.”
Dr K Hari Prasad, President, Apollo Hospitals Group spoke on the challenges of accreditation in difficult times, “We are raising the bar with each new accreditation. The pandemic brought in multiple challenges, and it was a significant achievement that the Proton Therapy Centre was accredited by JCI during this period, the first in South Asia and the Middle East to receive this recognition. This underscores our commitment to quality advanced patient care.”
Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Group spoke on the 15 years JCI accreditation journey and future plans, “It is always our endeavour is to provide excellent clinical outcomes and accreditation is an opportunity for the Group to reiterate its commitment to provide world-class healthcare services in the country. The accreditation asserts Apollo Hospitals’ constant endeavour to provide world-class patient care and maintain the highest standards in healthcare delivery in India”
Ms Paula Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer, JCI spoke on JCI’s future plans in an Indian context, while Dr Atul Mohan Kochhar, Chief Executive Officer, NABH took the participants through NABH’s vision and approach to improve practices in healthcare delivery.
JCI is the recognized global leader in health care accreditation, which entails a rigorous performance assessment and a robust series of qualifications in patient safety and quality of care. A JCI accreditation shows that a healthcare organization has chosen to pursue a commitment to excellence across the spectrum of care that elevates it into the global elite.
NABH was formed in 2005 and is the principal accreditation for Indian hospitals. It has led accreditation activities in India and has helped Indian healthcare standards upscale to the next level. These accreditations also help patients be sure of the best practices and rigorous standards being followed in the organization.
