Abstract Introduction: Quality assurance (QA) in healthcare is the degree to which healthcare services increase the likelihood of desired outcomes and are consistent with the current professional knowledge. It is a panacea to achieve higher levels of patient safety and satisfaction. This study aims to do a situational analysis of the current QA mechanism in naval hospitals through a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) analysis. Methods: The study is a qualitative study where data were collected by in-depth interviews and focused group discussions as well as by review of reports. The data were processed using transcription and anonymized to maintain the data security and integrity. Further, it was iterated and triangulated to establish credibility and reliability. Number and relevant events were analyzed to arrive at inferences. Based on these themes and inferences, a situational analysis of QA mechanisms in naval hospitals by SWOT method was done by the authors. Ethical consent was obtained from the institutional ethical committee. Results: National QA Standards (NQAS) developed by the National Health Systems Resource Centre, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is a comprehensive and objective QA tool. QA by modified NQAS tool has also been rolled out systematically in the naval hospitals over the past 1 year. The strengths identified with respect to the adoption of NQAS are improved patient safety and satisfaction, objective assessment to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance, ensure benchmarking against international standards, aid in comparison of hospitals, build accountability, and ensure trust among stakeholders. The weakness in the implementation of NQAS is the lengthy assessment process, implementation cost for training and infrastructure upgradation, biased internal audits, lack of felt need among users, and resistance to change. The strengths far outweigh the weaknesses. Conclusion: By leveraging the strengths, addressing existing weaknesses, capitalizing on opportunities, and mitigating threats, naval hospitals can significantly enhance their QA mechanisms. Thus, the adoption of a continuous improvement process by NQAS implementation is crucial in advancing healthcare quality. Spreading awareness to generate the felt need, emphasizing proactive training, focusing on patient satisfaction surveys, and incentivizing the process will ensure robust implementation. Through these measures, naval hospitals can maintain excellence in healthcare delivery and readiness to meet future challenges.
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