BWI: Quality Council of India and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) under Ministry of Defense (GOI) signs MoU

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Quality Council of India (QCI)
Monday, August 08, 2011 11:17 AM IST (05:47 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Banking & financial services, Business services, Healthcare, biotechnology & pharmaceutical; Healthcare
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Quality Council of India and Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) under Ministry of Defense (GOI) signs MoU
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (QCI) to assess all hospitals empanelled with ECHS (MOD)

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Monday, August 08, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- In a historic development a MoU has been signed between Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) and Quality Council of India (QCI) to ensure quality Healthcare services to all its beneficiaries. ECHS aspires to provide to all its beneficiaries high quality medical care. The Super Specialty hospitals applying must be accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Health Care Providers (NABH). The other hospitals Specialty Eye Centers, Dental Clinics, Physiotherapy Centers, Rehabilitative Centers, Diagnostic Centers and Hospices would be inspected by Quality Council of India on behalf of ECHS for empanelment.

The MoU was signed by Maj Gen A Srivastava, VSM, Managing Director, ECHS, Government of India and Secretary General, Quality Council of India Dr Giridhar J Gyani, in the presence of Sh Sanjeeva Kumar, IAS, Joint Secretary ESW, Chairman QCI & Chairman NABH at Manikshaw Centre, Delhi Cantonment.

On this occasion Maj Gen A Srivastava, VSM, Managing Director, ECHS, Government Of India observed "ECHS has already been engaged in taking various initiatives towards quality improvement in healthcare services and we always believe that Quality improvement is a continuous journey. We hope this MoU with NABH will be a first step towards achieving better and wider clientele satisfaction with a commitment and dedication to progress on the path of excellence in the field of medicare. "

At present there are about 1377 hospitals approved for empanelment with ECHS in various categories.

Speaking at the occasion Dr Giridhar J Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India and CEO, NABH observed" This is an important milestone as Quality will receive a boost as Ministry of Defense has relied on NABH Accreditation for ECHS scheme in line with CGHS notification of 2008. NABH has succeeded in creating framework for quality governance of hospitals for the first time in the country. All stake holders be it industry, government or consumers have accepted NABH accreditation as way forward to build quality in healthcare. What is important is that, consumers need to be made aware about what accreditation is all about. Once this happens, consumers directly will begin demanding accreditation from hospitals."

The main purpose of the MoU is to evaluate / assess private hospitals & diagnostic centers for ECHS empanelment based on evaluation criteria of NABH. In all the cases whether it is a General Hospital, Specialty Hospital, Super Specialty Hospital or a Cancer hospital continuation of empanelment / new empanelment to ECHS will ultimately be decided by the Empowered Committee of Ministry of Defense based on the Inspection report of NABH/QCI and the facilities available for ECHS beneficiaries in the region / place.

While the selection of hospitals (General purpose/ multi specialty/ super specialty/ cancer hospitals and diagnostic centers) will be done by ECHS, QCI would inspect the hospitals as part of assessment of hospitals on behalf of ECHS. QCI shall devise its own modalities for inspection and assessment of the Health Care Centers with its own manpower and infrastructural resources.

The order was aimed to upgrade the facilities empanelled with ECHS as NABH standard provide framework for quality assurance and quality improvement for hospitals and focuses on infection control, patient safety and quality of patient care.

The NABH standards for healthcare facilities are based on ISQua guidelines. This, in simple terms, means that hospitals accredited by NABH will have global acceptance in terms of patient safety, Infection control, positive clinical outcome and medication error etc. The main purpose of NABH accreditation is to help planners to promote, implement, monitor and evaluate best practice in order to ensure that it occupies a central place in the development of the health care system in the country. Quality Assurance would help improves effectiveness, efficiency and in cost containment, and would address accountability and the need to reduce errors and increase safety in the system.

For further information please contact

Dr Zainab Zaidi
Assistant Director
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH)
Quality Council of India
2nd Floor, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-2


CONTACT DETAILS
Sagarneel Dutta, Media Adviser, Quality Council of India, +91 9811631746, sagarneeldutta@gmail.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, HEALTHCARE, HEALTHCARE

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