SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Health Serv.
Sec. Health Policy and Management
Volume 5 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frhs.2025.1654514
Evaluating Quality Improvement in Tertiary Care Hospital Before and After NABH Accreditation: A Systematic Review
Provisionally accepted
- Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, India
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The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH.) accreditation process aims to elevate the quality of healthcare services through an impartial, external peer evaluation of an organization's performance. This study compares NABH. quality indicators in a tertiary care hospital before and after accreditation, assessing changes in patient care, hospital management, and staff performance.Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Literature was searched across PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library from August 2023 to January 2024. Keywords included "NABH. accreditation and hospital quality," "Accreditation in Indian hospitals and patient safety," and "Tertiary care hospital before and after accreditation." Boolean operators, synonyms, and related terms were used to ensure comprehensive retrieval. Independent reviewers screened studies, and risk of bias assessment was performed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.The study highlights significant improvements in hospital quality indicators following NABH accreditation. Hospital-acquired infection rates decreased, with infection control compliance improving by 40%. Operational efficiency improved with a 20% reduction in discharge delays and a 15% increase in documentation accuracy. Patient satisfaction scores rose by 25%, and structured policies enhanced service quality by 30%. Additionally, 85% of hospital staff reported higher job satisfaction. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences in compliance rates (p < 0.05) and patient care metrics (p < 0.01). Despite initial implementation challenges due to resource constraints, the study underscores the need for continuous monitoring and reinforcement of accreditation standards to sustain these improvements.NABH accreditation improves patient safety, lowers infection rates, and boosts overall productivity. The structured framework encourages continuous improvement, but institutional commitment and ongoing oversight are necessary for long-term sustainability.
Keywords: NABH, Quality indicators, Patient Satisfaction, healthcare standards, Hospital-acquired infections, Accreditation, risk of bias
Received: 26 Jun 2025; Accepted: 13 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kanyal and Ghewade. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Deepika Kanyal, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, India
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.