Jordan Healthcare Accreditation Project (JHAP)

The Challenge

Prior USAID support for the development of health care accreditation standards paved the way for more extensive use of accreditation as a quality assurance mechanism in the Jordanian health sector. It was recognized that a national health care accreditation agency was needed to expand and sustain the use of accreditation across Jordan’s public, private, academic, and military health sectors.

Overview and Objectives

JHAP was designed to provide technical assistance to enhance the health status of all Jordanians by improving the quality and safety of health care services in hospitals and primary health care facilities. The project provided technical assistance to establish an accreditation process for hospitals and primary health care facilities and develop a national accreditation body to improve the quality and safety of health care services. URC helped create and build the capacity of the Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC) and laid the foundation for its future governance and sustainability. The project built HCAC’s organizational capacity to develop and regularly update health care standards, certify health care professionals, prepare health facilities for accreditation, conduct accreditation surveys to evaluate compliance with standards, and award accreditation.

Achievements

The establishment of an independent financially sustainable accrediting organization in Jordan was the major outcome of JHAP. The project facilitated the development of standards for hospital care, primary health care, reproductive health, diagnostic imaging, medical transportation, and chronic disease management. URC also guided HCAC in launching annual National Quality and Safety Goals.

The HCAC accredited 17 hospitals from the public, private, and academic sectors and 42 public primary health care centers. It also certified two diagnostic imaging centers. URC assisted HCAC develop strategic, business, marketing, and human resource plans, as well as comprehensive operational policies and procedures, enabling HCAC to independently negotiate 12 contracts by the end of the project. 

URC established strong political support for HCAC from the Ministry of Health, the Royal Medical Services, university hospitals, and the Royal Court. Under the patronage of His Majesty, King Abdullah II, URC supported HCAC to organize two regional Quality Health Care Conferences. These events helped elevate HCAC’s recognition in the Middle East and North Africa as a leader in improving the quality of care.

URC facilitated HCAC’s eventual accreditation as an accrediting body by the International Society for Quality in Health Care.