Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N) has been accredited for the fourth time by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as a recognized global leader in health quality standards.
The US-based commission noted that the successful completion of a rigorous accreditation process is a signal to patients that a health care organization has undergone a rigorous performance assessment.
Hospital CEO Rashid Khalani said that the re-accreditation is an external validation that they are providing the highest quality of patient care.
“This re-accreditation is an external validation that we are providing the highest quality of patient care and safety as measured by international standards and benchmarked against the best hospitals globally,” said Khalani.
The re-accreditation was a culmination of a rigorous audit process based on a review of the hospital’s compliance with 291 standards and 1,199 measurable elements.
It involves the analysis of healthcare delivery processes and documentation including infection control, standards of physician practice, patient experience, medication management, the safety of care and the qualifications and competencies of staff and physicians.
“We do not do this just for the audit, but as a lifestyle. Delivering quality care with good clinical outcomes is part of our DNA and is what differentiates us from other healthcare institutions. This independent and rigorous audit also ensures transparency and openness and that nothing is hidden or thrown under the carpet,” noted Khalani.
In addition to the institutional accreditation, AKUH,N has had two of its clinical programs accredited by the JCI.
In August 2020, the hospital was accredited as a Centre of Excellence for the management of heart attacks making it the first hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, and second in Africa, to achieve this certification.
Again, in June 2021, the hospital was accredited as a Centre of Excellence for the management of acute stoke making it the first hospital in Africa to receive the accreditation.
AKUH,N was first accredited by the JCI in July 2013, becoming the first hospital in East Africa to receive the coveted accreditation. The hospital was re-accredited in 2016 and 2019.
