Accreditation Process Research Articles

Regulating antimicrobial use within hospitals: A qualitative study

To examine how regulatory structures and processes focused on antimicrobial stewardship and antimicrobial resistance are experienced by hospital managers and clinicians. Forty-two hospital managers and clinicians working within accreditation and antimicrobial stewardship teams in three Australian hospitals participated in individual in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was performed. Thematic analysis revealed participants' experiences of hospital antimicrobial regulation and their perceptions of what would be required for meaningful antimicrobial optimisation. Theme 1: Experience of regulation of antimicrobials within hospitals: Participants described an increased profile of antimicrobial resistance with inclusion in regulatory requirements, but also the risks of bureaucratic manoeuvring to meet standards rather than governance-inducing systemic changes. Theme 2: Growth of accreditation processes and hospitals over time: Both regulatory requirements and hospitals were described as evolving over time, each manoeuvring in response to each other (e.g. development of short notice accreditation). Theme 3: Perceived requirements for change: Participants perceived a need for top-down buy-in, resource prioritisation, complex understanding of power and influence on clinician behaviour, and a critical need for medical engagement. This study around antimicrobials shows the tension and dynamic relationship between regulatory processes and hospital responses, bringing to light the enduring balance of a system that positions itself to meet regulatory requirements and emerging "demands", without necessarily addressing the key underlying concerns. Antimicrobial resistance-related solutions are perceived as likely to require further resourcing and buy-in across multiple levels, engagement across professional streams and require strategies that consider complex systems change in order for regulatory structures to have potency.

Assessing the impact of adopting a competency-based medical education framework and ACGME-I accreditation on educational outcomes in a family medicine residency program in Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates.

Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) is now mandated by many graduate and undergraduate accreditation standards. Evaluating CBME is essential for quantifying its impact, finding supporting evidence for the efforts invested in accreditation processes, and determining future steps. The Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS) family medicine residency program has been accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education-International (ACGME-I) since 2013. This study aims to report the Abu Dhabi program's experience in implementing CBME and accreditation. Compare the two residents' cohorts' performance pre-and post-ACGME-I accreditation.Study the bi-annually reported milestones as a graduating residents' performance prognostic tool. All residents in the program from 2008 to 2019 were included. They are called Cohort one-the intake from 2008 to 2012, before the ACGME accreditation, and Cohort two-the intake from 2013 to 2019, after the ACGME accreditation, with the milestones used. The mandatory annual in-training exam was used as an indication of the change in competency between the two cohorts. Among Cohort two ACGME-I, the biannual milestones data were studied to find the correlation between residents' early and graduating milestones. A total of 112 residents were included: 36 in Cohort one and 76 in Cohort two. In Cohort one, before the ACGME accreditation, no significant associations were identified between residents' graduation in-training exam and their early performance indicators, while in Cohort two, there were significant correlations between almost all performance metrics. Early milestones are correlated with the graduation in-training exam score. Linear regression confirmed this relationship after controlling the residents' undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA). Competency development continues to improve even after residents complete training at Post Graduate Year, PGY4, as residents' achievement in PGY5 continues to improve. Improved achievement of residents after the introduction of the ACGME-I accreditation is evident. Additionally, the correlation between the graduation in-training exam and graduation milestones, with earlier milestones, suggests a possible use of early milestones in predicting outcomes.

Transformation of Puskesmas Pelambuan: Analysis of LAFKI Accreditation Survey (Case Study)

Community Health Centers (Puskesmas) play an important role in this context, as part of primary health care facilities. Community health centers must be able to provide quality basic health services and maintain the quality of these services. One strategy that can be used by Community Health Centers to achieve this goal is through the accreditation process. The aim of Puskesmas accreditation is to foster and improve the quality of service and safety for patients and the community on an ongoing basis. Accreditation is not just about getting a certificate, but more about a commitment to continuously improve the quality of health services provided to the community. The accreditation survey at the Pelambuan Community Health Center is an important effort to improve the quality of health services. This process involves surveyors conducting document checks and field searches to ensure that management, programs and clinical services comply with accreditation standards.

Penerapan Teknik Random Oversampling Untuk Memprediksi Ketepatan Waktu Lulus Menggunakan Algoritma Random Forest

Punctuality of graduation is something that students yearn for, besides being important for students, punctuality of graduation is also very important for universities, this is because the aspect of student graduation is one aspect of assessment in an institutional accreditation process of a university to show its quality. One of the obstacles faced to find out whether a student can graduate on time or not is because the study period cannot be detected early, this will have an impact on late student graduation. To analyze this, a lot of research was conducted on the accuracy of student graduation, through the cumulative grade point average (GPA) obtained by students during their studies. This research on the prediction of student graduation timeliness uses a random forest algorithm model. The data used in this research object has an unbalanced number of data classes, to overcome this, a random oversampling (ROS) resampling technique is applied and also applies Split validation or division between learning data by 50% for test data and 50%. To evaluate the model built, the author uses evaluation metrics such as accuracy, recall, and precision. The results of the study showed that the proposed model can well predict compared to other models, namely with the results precision of 87.05%, accuracy test values of 90.04%, recall of 90.04%.From these results, it can be interpreted that the random forest algorithm is considered good in predicting the timeliness of a student's graduation

An Analysis of the Recognition of Prior Learning System in Vocational Education and Training Sector

The aim of this study is to examine the current state of the Validation of Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VFNIL) system in the Republic of Kosovo and critically assess institutional policies for the establishment of an effective VFNIL system at the national level. In achieving the research objective, structured interviews with key representatives of central and local Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions are conducted and key policy documents are analyzed. The study discovers that the Validation of Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VFNIL) system is in progress of development in the VET sector only and is at its infancy stage. Building on the best practices of more developed countries, relevant legal provisions and operational tools for the provision of VNFIL services have been developed and six institutions have been accredited, but the services have not yet been delivered to candidates. The complexity of the accreditation system, rigid and bureaucratic administrative requirements and financial implications associated with the accreditation process of institutions and with the enrolment process of candidates have been identified as the main obstacles for the operational arrangements of an effective VNFIL system. The study contributes to the advancement of the understanding and the significance of validation of skills through the VNFIL services and advocates for the need to establish a robust and sustainable VNFIL system in line with European practices. 
 
 Received: 13 July 2023 / Accepted: 20 October 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

REDCap as an accreditation tool for academic programs in clinical research: A case study

Abstract The Master of Science in Clinical Research Management program at Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences underwent significant restructuring aligned with the Clinical and Translational Science Award funding parameters. This evolution necessitated formal evaluation through accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The years-long accreditation process posed challenges, particularly regarding the collection of course learning outcomes data aligned with accreditation competency standards. The objective of this special communication is to report the rationale behind pursuing accreditation for clinical research degrees, the data collection challenges during the accreditation process, and a potential solution. In order to address existing university metric data gaps, Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) software was used to develop a data collection tool that streamlined the accreditation process and reduced the administrative burden. REDCap was effective in allowing faculty to self-report 3 years of course outcomes data for accreditation. There was an elevated level of user satisfaction compared to alternative data collection methods. A SWOT analysis identified the strengths and weaknesses of using REDCap, emphasizing strengths in functionality that include customizability, data validation, and compliance with regulatory standards. Overall, the advantages of leveraging REDCap for accreditation data collection, including customization, data security, and user-friendliness outweigh the key disadvantage of REDCap, which is its limited reporting capabilities.

Can high-fidelity 3D models be a good alternative for cadaveric materials in skill assessment for endoscopic sinus surgery? A comparison study in assessment for surgical performance in 3D models and cadavers.

Traditionally formal assessment of surgical skills has not been part of a surgeon's accreditation process. The widely adopted apprentice model of "on-the-job training" does create additional risk for the patients. In the past surgical training has used cadavers, but these are expensive, require dedicated wet-lab facilities and are in increasingly short supply. In many countries religious and cultural practices also preclude cadaveric use. Recent 3D-printed technology allows mass reproduction of high-fidelity 3D models. In this study, we examined the utility of 3D sinus models compared to cadaver dissection for surgical skill assessment for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). A total of 17 otolaryngologists performed Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (ESS) on 3D printed sinus models and then repeated these procedures on cadavers. Their surgical performance was assessed with the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) score for ESS and time was taken to complete an ESS procedure. Their performance on the 3D models and cadavers was compared. There were no significant differences in the OSATS score between 3D models and cadavers (50.41 ± 13.31 vs. 48.29 ± 16.01, p = 0.36). There was a strong positive correlation between the score in 3D models and those in cadavers (r = 0.84, p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in time for a mini-ESS (21:29 ± 0:10 vs. 20:33 ± 0:07, p = 0.53). There were positive correlations between 3D models and cadavers in time taken for a mini-ESS (r = 0.55, p = 0.04). The surgical performance on the 3D models was comparable to that on cadavers. This supports the utility of the 3D models as an inexhaustible alternative for cadavers in ESS surgical skill assessment.

Mapping the global neurosurgery workforce. Part 2: Trainee density

OBJECTIVE A sustainable neurosurgery workforce depends on robust training pipelines, but the size and distribution of the global neurosurgery trainee workforce has not been described. The objective of this study was to identify the types of training programs that exist in the global neurosurgery workforce, the support that trainees receive, the diversity of trainee experiences, and the accreditation processes that exist to regulate training programs. METHODS This study was a subanalysis of a cross-sectional survey administered online in all 193 countries and 26 territories, independent states, and disputed regions as defined by the World Bank and United Nations. Participants were identified through neurosurgery society leadership, the personal contacts of the coauthors, and bibliometric and search engine searches. Population-weighted statistics were constructed and segregated by country income level and WHO regions. RESULTS Data were obtained for 187 countries (96.9%) and 25 additional territories, states, and disputed regions (96.2%). There were an estimated 1261 training programs and 10,546 trainees within the regions sampled, representing a global pooled density of 0.14 neurosurgery trainees per 100,000 people and a median national density of 0.06 trainees per 100,000 people. There was a higher density in high-income countries (HICs; 0.48 trainees per 100,000 people) compared with upper-middle-income countries (0.09 per 100,000), lower-middle-income countries (0.06 per 100,000), and low-income countries (LICs; 0.07 per 100,000). The WHO European (0.36 per 100,000) and Americas (0.27 per 100,000) regions had the highest trainee densities, while the Southeast Asia (0.04 per 100,000) and African (0.05 per 100,000) regions had the lowest densities. Among countries with training programs, LICs had the poorest availability of subspecialty training and resources such as cadaver laboratories and conference stipends for trainees. Training program accreditation processes were more common in HICs (81.8%) than in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs; 69.2%) with training programs. CONCLUSIONS The authors estimate that there are at least 1261 neurosurgery training programs with 10,546 total trainees worldwide. The density of neurosurgery trainees was disproportionately higher in HICs than LMICs, and the WHO European and Americas regions had the highest trainee densities. The trainee workforce in LICs had the poorest access to subspecialty training and advanced resources.

Providing continuity of care for people living with noncommunicable diseases in humanitarian settings: A qualitative study of health actors' experiences in Lebanon

ObjectiveThe burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing among populations living in humanitarian settings. Continuity of care (CoC) involves following an individual over time and across different levels of healthcare (management, longitudinal, informational and interpersonal continuity); it is an essential component of good quality, person-centred NCD care. Providing CoC is particularly challenging in humanitarian crises where health care access may be interrupted or restricted. This paper aimed to explore health actors’ experiences of continuity of hypertension and diabetes care for Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese in Lebanon. MethodsWe conducted 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with health actors, including eleven with health care providers at four urban-based health facilities supported by international humanitarian agencies that provide NCD care to Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese, one representative of a governmental institution, one international delegate and seven humanitarian actors. Thematic analysis, combining inductive and deductive approaches, was guided by a conceptual framework for NCD models of care in humanitarian settings. We reported our findings against the conceptual framework's domains relating to health system inputs and intermediate goals, reflecting on their impact on the domains of CoC. FindingsExisting health system weaknesses and novel challenges (the economic crisis, COVID-19 pandemic and Beirut blast) to continuity of NCD care were identified. Health system input challenges: governance and financing (weakened governance, limited central financing, historical dependence on local NGOs for primary healthcare, a dominant private sector), health workforce (exodus of health care providers from the public system), inconsistent medicines and equipment supplies, and limited health information systems (no unified system across institutions or levels of care, lack of formal referral systems, and inconsistent facility-level data collection) contributed to limited public primary care, poorly integrated within a fragile, pluralistic health system. These factors negatively impacted the intermediate health system goals of access, standardisation and quality of NCD care for Syrian refugee and Lebanese patients, and collectively hampered the management, longitudinal, informational and interpersonal continuity of NCD care in Lebanon. ConclusionWe recommend that humanitarian actors continue the work underway with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health to align with and strengthen health system inputs, including supporting health governance through the accreditation process, exploring new funding mechanisms, strengthening the workforce via task sharing and training, supporting the medication supply chain, improving access to facilities and service quality, and supporting the development, standardisation and interoperability of referral and information systems. In combination, these elements will support better CoC for people living with hypertension and diabetes in Lebanon.

The effects of training for microbiology analysis laboratories in Public Health Laboratories on quality and accreditation process

The effects of training for microbiology analysis laboratories in Public Health Laboratories on quality and accreditation process

Recognising a beacon of teaching and learning leadership in Australian chemistry

This Highlight article considers key contributions made by Professor Brian Yates to the Australian chemistry academic community in recognition of his seminal leadership that led to the establishment of the Chemistry Threshold Learning Outcomes (CTLOs) as national assessment standards. These CTLOs currently underpin the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) process of the professional accreditation of chemistry majors in Australian tertiary institutions and, hence, provide benchmarks of learning in our discipline. Examples of contemporary assessment approaches in chemistry are presented to inform academics who are seeking to assess learning outcomes beyond threshold standards and to inspire future innovative assessment approaches.

The impact of self-assessment and surveyor assessment on site visit performance under the National General Practice Accreditation scheme.

Objective There is a need to undertake more proactive and in-depth analyses of general practice accreditation processes. Two areas that have been highlighted as areas of potential inconsistency are the self-assessment and surveyor assessment of indicators. Methods The data encompass 757 accreditation visits made between December 2020 and July 2022. A mixed-effect multilevel logistic regression model determined the association between attempt of the self-assessment and indicator conformity from the surveyor assessment. Furthermore, we present a contrast of the rate of indicator conformity between surveyors as an approximation of the inter-assessor consistency from the site visit. Results Two hundred and seventy-seven (37%) practices did not attempt or accurately report conformity to any indicators at the self-assessment. Association between attempting the self-assessment and the rate of indicator non-conformity at the site visit failed to reach statistical significance (OR = 0.90 [95% CI = 1.14-0.72], P = 0.28). A small number of surveyors (N = 9/34) demonstrated statistically significant differences in the rate of indicator conformity compared to the mean of all surveyors. Conclusions Attempt of the self-assessment did not predict indicator conformity at the site visit overall. Appropriate levels of consistency of indicator assessment between surveyors at the site visit were identified.

Accreditation as a mechanism of state influence on the quality of education in modern conditions

The reform in the field of education has led to the emergence of the problem of the quality of the knowledge and competencies of students. The solution of this issue is carried out at the level of state control by the Ministry of Science and Education of the Kyrgyz Republic through the accreditation of educational institutions. This article deals with the formation and development of the accreditation process in the educational sphere of Kyrgyzstan. The authors considered the stages of the process of the accreditation of educational institutions and evaluated the activities of accreditation agencies. The authors also described the world experience in accreditation and analyzed the world ranking of universities according the accreditation.

Automation Model Development for School Reaccreditation of Early Childhood Education

As stated in the Research and Development Objectives 2020-2024 by BSKAP, it was agreed on the need to implement a correct and credible quality monitoring and evaluation system. For Primary and Secondary Education, it is determined that 100% of education units will carry out Competency Assessment (AK) and Character Surveys (SK) starting in 2021 by first developing and preparing relevant measuring tools along with indicators of AK-SK readiness in the future, its implementation in 2021 while trying implement the overall accreditation process automation policy. Therefore, performance assessment in these units requires other proxies of learning indicators which are considered to have functions equivalent to competency assessments and character surveys. Instead of direct field visits, if correct, mathematical modeling can be performed to derive measurement proxies derived from the PPA or IPV variables or a combination of both. Automation modeling has been applied to approximately 5,000 school samples by applying three alternative methods, namely Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Square (PLS) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). PCA modeling was successfully used on 49 predictors without a response variable (Y); ii) PLS modeling was successfully applied to 49 predictors involving response variables; iii) CFA modeling has been successfully carried out on PPA and IPV one by one, because the combined modeling has not succeeded in producing an adequate model in the form of goodness of fit. Keywords: accreditation, assessments, early childhood education, statistical modeling

The ACEN 2023 standards and impact of accreditation on the quality of nursing education

BackgroundAfter obtaining the Board of Commissioner's approval, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) released the 2023 Standards and Criteria in July 2022. Beginning January 2024, all programs seeking initial or continuing accreditation with the ACEN will be required to use this set of Standards. InnovationThe 2023 Standards and Criteria were revised to apply to all nursing education program types and the Standards were designed to delineate the measurable quality indicators through explicit Criteria Statements for contemporary nursing education. ImplicationsThe changes to the ACEN Accreditation Standards are expected to increase clarity of the Standards for nursing education programs. The revised 2023 Standards and Criteria identify and describe the essential elements of a quality nursing education program. ConclusionAn understanding of the key concepts in the 2023 Standards and Criteria will provide the nurse educator with a foundation for developing and maintaining quality nursing education practices consistent with the ACEN Accreditation Standards.

Implementation of the School/Madrasah Accreditation Assessment System in BAN-S/M Bali Province in 2022 as a Form of Digital Government in the Education Sector

This study aims to 1) analyze the implementation of the School/Madrasah Accreditation Assessment System at BAN-S/M Bali Province in 2022 as a form of digital government in the education sector in terms of input, process and output variables, 2) find out the benefits and obstacles of implementing an accreditation assessment system Schools/Madrasahs in BAN-S/M Bali Province in 2022 As a Form of Digital Government in the Education Sector. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The determination of informants in this study used a purposive sampling technique in determining research informants. Data collection techniques using interviews, observation, and documentation from primary data and secondary data. The collected data were analyzed using interactive analysis (interactive model of analysis). The results showed that the implementation of the S/M Sispena in the Bali Province BAN-S/M facilitated school/madrasah accreditation activities carried out by the Bali Province BAN-S/M because the accreditation process went through the S/M Sispena starting from input, process, and output. In terms of input, Sispena S/M has been effective starting from the socialization that was carried out to filling in the School/Madrasah accreditation data entry; from a process standpoint, Sispena S/M is effectively used when mapping adequacy assessments, mapping visits, validation mapping, and assessments by assessors; and from an output perspective, Sispena S/M is very practical. Schools/madrasas can download the accreditation certificate directly from the Sispena S/M account. M and see the recommendations for accreditation results which are used as a reference for improving the quality of education in schools/madrasas. The main obstacle in implementing the S/M Sispena is the unavailability of an internet network at schools/madrasahs which hinders filling in accreditation entry data at Sispena because the S/M Sispena is a web-based system that must be connected to the internet network to operate it.

Bir Psikiyatri Hastanesinde Yatan Hastalardaki Ölümlerin Epidemiyolojik Değerlendirilmesi

Individuals with psychiatric disorders have higher early mortality rates than the general population, and all types of mental disorders are associated with a short life expectancy. In this context, assessment of the mortali-ties of both natural and unnatural causes in psychiatric inpatients is of critical importance in terms of mortality epidemiology, which provides data that can help improve the quality and planning of psychiatric care. The popu-lation of this study retrospective, cross-sectional study consisted of inpatients that died in Manisa Mental Health and Diseases Hospital between May 2002 and December 2022. Of the 120 inpatients that died, 119 patients, 63.9% male, and 36.1% female, were included in the study sample. The mortality rate decreased from 3.2% to 0.22% during the period covered by the study. The difference between mortality rates before 2013, when qua-lity and accreditation processes started, and after 2013 has decreased from 74.8% to 25.2%. Of the natural deaths, 45.4% were caused by cardiac arrest, whereas 100% of the unnatural deaths occurred due to suicides. Short hospital stays and close follow-up in the first week of hospitalization are essential in reducing mortality rates in psychiatric inpatients. In addition, increasing the quality of health care in accordance with the national and international quality and accreditation criteria will further reduce the mortality rates in psychiatric inpati-ents.

The Alignment between International and National Academic Accreditations - An Application in Information Systems Bachelor Program at Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This study proposes a method for consolidating various program accreditations into a unified accreditation process for a single academic program. The primary challenge lies in harmonizing the diverse requirements of multiple accreditations. In the context of academic technology programs in Saudi Arabia, this research focuses on the integration of NCAAA and ABET accreditations, with a specific application to the Information Systems at King Abdulaziz university. The core methodology employed in this study involves applying Bloom's taxonomy of learning to identify the synergies between the accreditation criteria of ABET and NCAAA. To ascertain the alignment of learning outcome measurement based on both accreditations, a questionnaire was administered to faculty members within the College of Computer Science and Information Technology at renowned universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This article is intended for researchers specializing in the quality of education in computing and engineering, as well as professionals, developers, and officials with an interest in academic accreditations. Furthermore, this research seeks to establish a foundation for the seamless dissemination of educational content through websites and digital applications, adhering to the standards and principles of academic accreditation.

COLLABORATIVE SUPERVISION STRATEGY INTEGRATED WITH SISPENA APPLICATION FOR IMPROVING EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTITUTION’S ACCREDITATION

&lt;em&gt;The research purpose is to provide insights into how the collaborative supervision strategy, supported by the SISPENA application, addresses accreditation challenges and promotes educational excellence in TAAM institutions. The research used qualitative approach with case study method. Data were gathered using in-depth interviews with educators, supervisors, and administrators from participating TAAM institutions, participant observation, and document study. The data were analyzed using triangulation to gain insights into the challenges faced in meeting accreditation criteria and the collaborative supervision strategy's impact on addressing these challenges. The findings highlight the challenges arising from limited resources and inconsistencies in accreditation readiness. The collaborative supervision strategy was then introduced to facilitate collective discussions among educators, supervisors, and administrators. The integration of the SISPENA application played a vital role, offering technological support and a platform for streamlined documentation. The research underscores the roles of each stakeholder group: educators engage in discussions and implement improved teaching methods, supervisors guide discussions and oversee documentation, and administrators manage the documentation process. The collaborative strategy's effectiveness is evidenced by the tangible progress observed in accreditation processes across the seven participating TAAM institutions.&lt;/em&gt;

Strategic Planning For Foreign Language Program Accreditation In Higher Education

In response to expanding demand for access to higher education globally, governments and private sectors have reacted through massification, both in terms of numbers and sizes of institutions. While this has generated quantity, many argue that a corresponding rise in quality is lacking. This increasingly consumer-driven marketplace is under pressure from stakeholders - students, parents, governments, funders - to demonstrate quality. This may occur through internally generated reports, or from external accrediting bodies. For many higher education institutions, particularly in developing countries, these are novel practices. The purpose of this study is to analyze the outcomes of a program-level accreditation process implementation, and through the lens of a relevant case study, propose a framework to guide programs pursuing accreditation. Frameworks such as Bolman and Deal's Four Frames as well as Spillane, Halverson, and Diamond's Distributed Leadership can offer those charged with planning and implementing quality assurance initiatives the tools to effectively diagnose the current readiness within their organization to undergo a quality assurance initiative.