ASSESSOR GUIDE
CONTENTS
Content 2
1. Introduction 3
3. Pre-Assessment 5
5. Feedback 8
HAF 1 to HAF 4 9 - 12
1 INTRODUCTION
Accreditation is an incentive to improve capacity of Heath Care Organisations to
provide quality of care. The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and
Healthcare Providers (NABH) provides third-party accreditation to Health Care
Organizations in India. It ensures that hospitals/ Small Health Care Providers
(SHCO), whether public or private, national or expatriate, play their expected role in
national heath system. Country and culture specific accreditation system safeguard
the country health care system and also involve fewer cost and better accepted as
compare to external international accreditation systems.
This guide has been prepared based on the general practices followed by
international bodies and the experience of experts of the country. This document
accordingly aims to:
a. Provide the guidance to the Assessors during the assessment of hospitals/
SHCOs.
b. Ensure uniformity of assessment and reporting, and
c. Eliminate ambiguities or doubts about the interpretation of requirements(s).
Notwithstanding the strength of the NABH system, the success of the accreditation
scheme depends on the assessment team who perform on-site assessment and,
thus, play a vital role in determining the credibility and value of the accreditation.
Team members are required to maintain the confidentiality on the matters/ subjects
related to health care organizations.
Principal Assessor would finally summarise the conduct of Assessment and record
the recommendations in HAF 4. If, during Surveillance or Re-assessment, a case of
critical system failure and gross negligence in technical aspects is noticed, the
Principal Assessor will at the earliest inform NABH and elaborately bring it out in the
Assessment summary (HAF-4) of assessment report. The Principal Assessor must
sign all pages of the assessment report.
He must get an endorsement from the hospital/ SHCO on HAF 4 and hand over a
photocopy of the forms HAF 3 & 4 to the hospital/ SHCO to enable them to take
corrective actions.
Role of Assessor
The Assessor should clearly understand the areas/ activities to be assessed by him.
He must review the Hospitals/ SHCOs documented system to verify compliance with
the requirements of NABH standards. He should assess to verify that the
documented SOPs, records are indeed implemented & effective, as described and
record observations in HAF 2. The report should be handed over to the Principal
Assessor along with expenditure claim form.
Role of Observer
3. PRE-ASSESSMENT
NABH Secretariat on intimation from the organization about the preparedness to take
up pre-assessment, appoints a Principal Assessor from the pool of empanelled
Assessors from assessor database. Scope and type of the hospital/ SHCO is kept in
mind while selecting the Principal Assessor. For carrying out the pre-assessment,
Principal Assessor may also be accompanied with assessors. The number of
assessors depends on the size of the hospital/ SHCO.
The name of Principal Assessor and assessor(s) and the names of their
organizations from which they belong are intimated to the organization for seeking
their consent. Following documents are provided to the assessment team for carrying
out the assessment:
- Copy of application form of the organization
- Copy of self assessment toolkit submitted
- Quality Manual (however named) and other NABH related documents
(department manuals, SOPs)
- Pre-Assessment Guidelines and Forms
- Confidentiality form (NABH I&C 01)
- Travel expenditure form
The Principal Assessors major role is to explain the purpose of the assessment. He/
She explains to the organisation the methodology adopted by his/ her team during
the assessment. Things are discussed in detail with the management of the
organization during the opening meeting of the pre-assessment.
The detailed guidelines for the assessors for carrying out Pre-Assessment is
described in NABH document Pre-Assessment Guidelines and forms.
4 ON-SITE ASSESSMENT
A similar methodology as used in the Pre-Assessment is followed in comprising the
team for final assessment of the organization. The number of assessors depends on
the size of the hospital/ SHCO.
The assessor(s) and the names of their organizations from which they belong are
intimated to the organization for seeking their consent. NABH also assures that the
team does not have any competitive position with the applicant organization. NABH
also ensures that assessors do not have any direct/ in-direct relationship with the
organization or they/ or their organization.
Consent is obtained for the date(s) of the assessment of the organization from the
Principal Assessor and other assessors accompanying for the assessment. A written
communication is sent to all the team members with the following documents:
- Application form of the organization
- Pre-Assessment report
- Corrective action report
- Self assessment submitted by the organization
- Hospital/ SHCO manuals/ documents submitted by the organization
- Confidentiality form (NABH I&C 01)
- Travel expenditure form
Assessment Team shall meet and plan assessment programme. This shall include
the distribution of work amongst the Assessors. The format of the assessment
schedule to be finalised is given at HAF-1.
(a) Principal Assessor and the team shall have an opening meeting with hospital/
SHCO representatives where they get acquainted with the hospital/ SHCO,
departments/ sections and their locations.
(b) The Principal Assessors shall explain the objective and scope of assessment
and what is expected from the hospital/ SHCO during the assessment.
(c) The Principal Assessor shall present the assessment schedule (HAF 1) to
hospital/ SHCO representatives. The hospital/ SHCO will be requested to
assign guide/ co-coordinator to accompany each Assessor.
(d) The Principal Assessor shall inform the hospital/ SHCO that the assessment
team shall not be approached by the hospital/ SHCO for closure of non-
conformances while the assessment is in progress. Non-conformances may
be closed while the assessment report is being compiled.
4.2 Assessment
- Document review
Document review includes review of polices, evidence of compliance with
policies, evidence of committees and evidence of statements.
- Functional interview
Leadership interview.
Infection control interview.
Management of information/ patient records interview.
Staff qualification and education interview.
- Facility tour
Principal Assessor shall compile the observations from the assessors (HAF 2) and
summary on non-compliance (HAF 3) from all the assessors.
The Principal Assessor shall give the summary of the assessment in his final report
(HAF 4). The reports shall be signed by the authorized signatory of the hospital/
SHCO.
In addition to the above, Principal Assessor in consultation with the team members
shall fill up the score sheet and send it to NABH along with report. This remains a
confidential document and copy should not be given to the hospital/ SHCO.
Evaluation criteria:
No individual standard should have more than one zero to qualify. However, no
zero is accepted in the regulatory/legal requirements.
The average score for individual standard must not be less than 5.
The average score for individual chapter must not be less than 7.
The overall average score for all standards must exceed 7
The closing meeting is to end with thanks giving for the co-operation and assistance
provided by the hospital/ SHCO.
NABH secretariat reviews the assessment report and seeks clarification and
documentation from the Principal Assessor and hospital/ SHCO, if required.
NABH, on receipt of evidence of corrective action, if any, shall place the report before
the Accreditation Committee for its consideration for accreditation.
5 FEEDBACK
Following feedbacks are obtained by NABH through the evaluation forms in the
NABH document Feedback Forms.
- feedback on performance of the assessment team is obtained from the hospital/
SHCO.
- feedback on performance of other assessors by the Principal Assessor.
Assessor 1
Assessor 2
Assessor --
Observer/Expert
Hospital/ SHCO:
Non-compliance observed:
1.
NABH I&C-01
Name Assessor ID :
(To be filled in by NABH Sect.)
Designation
Organisation
Address
Health care
organisation Assessed
Date of visit(s)
ii. I am/ am not* an ex-employee of the health care organization and am/ am not* related
to any person of the management of the health care organization.
iii. I will declare to the Board my and/ or my immediate familys association with any of the
organization that can affect the impartiality of the assessment process. I shall also
keep the Board informed about changes in the status of my association with the
organization before every assignment.
iv. I got an opportunity to go through various documents of the above hospital/ SHCO and
other related information that might have been given by NABH. I undertake to maintain
strict confidentiality of the information acquired in course of discharge of my
responsibility and shall not disclose to any person other than that required by NABH.
* strike out which is not applicable
Date:
Place : Signature