AB-PMJAY scheme opens Bronze Certification Accreditation for quality culture

Strengthening the system of quality culture in the healthcare sector, the Central government's National Health Authority (NHA) has now come up with a plan to open Bronze Certificate Accreditation for all hospitals. The Authority has come up with the move even though they are not emplaned with Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY), which is the world's largest healthcare scheme.

Dr JL Meena, General Manager, Hospital Networking and Quality Assurance at AB-PMJAY, while speaking on the issue, told ANI, "Making Bronze Certificate Accreditation to all hospitals will create a quality culture in India because hospitals which are not accredited or certified by JCI/NABH/NQAS can go for AB - PMJAY Bronze Quality Certificate which is totally evidence-based. It will confident among hospital administration to provide quality healthcare services to their patients."

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"If a hospital's preparation and internal assessment is excellent, then they will get a certificate after successful completion of desktop and on-site assessment within 25 days by Quality Council of India. The fee structure is also very low and affordable to small healthcare organization. Moreover, AB PM-JAY Bronze Quality Certification guidelines and proceeds are very simple, transparent with evidence basis and fast track," she added.

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To strengthen infrastructure, human resource requirements, appropriate space for ambulance in hospital for patient movement, proper lighting facility inside and outside hospital, medical instruments and equipment requirement and maintenance, firefighting equipment, basic amenities like safe drinking water area, hygiene canteen, suitable toilets for men and women etc are a part of the list of guidelines.

In addition to that, NHA is also offering gold and silver quality certification. What comes out as surprising is that in the last one month, about 146 applications have been received for quality certificate and only 20 hospitals have got AB-PMJAY Quality Certificates fulfilling the criteria. Till date, 14 hospitals have received gold certificate. Apart from that, 6 hospitals have been accredited with a silver certificate.

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NHA had, in September, started this facility for empanelled hospitals which don't hold any accreditation or certification from any recognized body like National Accredited Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), Joint Commission International (JCI) etc.

AB-PMJAY is a National Health Protection Scheme. It promises to cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families providing coverage upto 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

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(With ANI Inputs)