Are there for-profit accreditation bodies in Australia?
There are several ‘for-profit’ organisations which accredit to the ISO standards. However, their market share is very small. Since ACHS accreditation is over 30-years-old, how have the standards evolved over the years? The major changes include greater emphasis on the outcomes of care; the focus on a comprehensive organisation-wide framework, rather than separate units within a healthcare organisation and the increased focus on clinical care and consumer participation. The process for developing the standards is also more robust and consultative. They are developed in close consultation with industry experts in a variety of different fields. For instance, our most recent review of standards began with an examination of the relevant literature and a comparison of the EQuIP standards and criteria with those of other countries. The most recent set of standards is the 17th time ACHS has revised its standards. The new standards come into effect from next year. Did ACHS click right from the
