The Impact of Saudi (CBAHI) Accreditation on Enhancing Patient Safety and Improving the Quality of Care Indicators

Abstract

The main aim of the dissertation is to evaluate the impact of Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI) accreditation in enhancing patient safety and improving the quality of care indicators [1]. The importance and support of CBAHI is highly observed from the healthcare institutes [2]. The researcher used the experimental approach for data analysis, which collected from five indicators for patient safety, and another five indicators for quality improvement, all indicators were approved by CBAHI, the indicators were collected over two periods each period consists of six months before and six months after the accreditation [3]. The study applied in Dammam Regional Laboratory and Blood Bank in KSA. The most important findings were the negative impact of CBAHI upon most of the patient safety indicators, three indicators showed statistically insignificant negative impact and those indicators were: specimen identification error indicator (P 0.5111), and the corrected laboratory report indicator (P 0.6849), and the adverse donor reaction indicator (P 0.1285). For the other two indicators there was a statistically significant negative impact, these two indicators named blood/blood components availability (P 0.0007) and critical value notification (P 0.0299). The study also records a weak positive effect on the quality improvement indicators as only one indicator shows statistically significant improvement, which is the blood/ blood components wastage (P 0.0139). On the other hand, the other four indicators showed statistically insignificant improvement, and those four indicators were: The turnaround time indicator (P 0.4934), internal quality control accuracy indicator (P 0.5603), the blood contamination rate (P 0.4729) and laboratory specimen rejection (P 0.0687). The most important recommendation of the study: Focusing on continuous quality improvement and patient safety more than standard inspection by CBAHI using the unscheduled accreditation visits, also activation of the institutional self-assessment. Finally, creation of patient safety and quality culture.