Assessing the impact of JCI accreditation on the quality of healthcare in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Many healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia are moving towards obtaining JCI accreditation, and this is expected to increase in the future. This study aimed to assess the impact of JCI accreditation on the quality of healthcare in Saudi Arabia, using a structured literature search and narrative synthesis. The review involved searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Prisma guidelines were followed for screening of literature and presentation of results. Formal processes of narrative data extraction and synthesis were then undertaken. Findings suggest that overall JCI accreditation has impacted positively on the quality of the healthcare system. However, longitudinal analysis of the impact of JCI accreditation on the quality and safety of the healthcare system revealed shocks resulting from the accreditation process, resulting in a sudden increase in the performance of some quality and safety domains and a sudden decrease in other domains in different accreditation phases. JCI is perceived to have increased quality in domains, such as patient care and safety, patient satisfaction, better use of resources, motivating staff, encouraging teamwork, and developing shared values. However, the most perceived negative impact was that JCI accreditation increases staff workloads, increases sanctions and forces, and leads to unsustainable quality improvement.