Design of Hospital Accreditation Model: A Qualitative Study

Recently, health authorities in the world have been applying accreditation standards to improve the quality and safety of healthcare services, which is also a priority of the Ministry of Health in Iran. This study was conducted to design a hospital accreditation model.
This study was part of a qualitative study with Grounded Theory approach aimed at explaining the experiences and understanding of knowledgeable and responsible people in the hospital accreditation process using interviews which was conducted in 2015 in the hospitals of Gilan province. The targeted sampling consisted of 3 nurses, 4 matrons, 3 managers, and 5 accredited experts. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. Data analysis was carried out using 3 steps coding model (open, axial, selective) by MaxQDA 10 software. To obtain data validity and reliability, 2 methods of reviewing participants and reviewing non-participating experts in the study were used.
Data were analyzed and categorized in 134 components, 32 concepts and 6 main factors and the applied model was designed.
Considering the importance of accreditation and lack of research, with a modeling and applied approach, it is necessary for planners to pay attention to the presented issues and problems at the macro level.