Assessment Approaches in Health Sector

Evaluation of health care has a long history dating to Hippocrates oaths (3rd century B.C.). Quality standards for hospitals and other medical facilities were first introduced in the USA and now are increasingly used worldwide.

Methods & Material: Assessment and inspection of health services are becoming more common worldwide, using a combination of models-‑ISO certification, business excellence, peer review, accreditation, and statutory inspection. There is a common concern that voluntary and statutory programmes need to be integrated to ensure valid standards, consistent assessments, transparency, and public accountability.

Discussion: Each of these is in progress but the most rapid development is in accreditation. Just as there is diversity in the origins of approaches, on the other hand there is convergence between them. In Iran health care assessment is statutory and administered by health ministry. In recent years quality initiatives were introduced in hospital assessment protocol of Health Ministry. ISO Registration and Certification are awarded in hospitals affiliated by social security organization.