Quality assessment in health services: accreditation, certification and quality improvement programs in public and private hospitals in the city of São Paulo

Abstract

This article presents the results of a survey involving 12 hospitals in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, whose main objective was to identify the assessment methods and quality improvement programs used by public and private hospitals. The survey identified how quality assessment is operated as well as the factors that hinder the implementation and operation of quality improvement programs. The data was gathered using forms posted via web to the participants. The survey form was structured in six main topics so as to gather information identifying and characterizing the healthcare unit and to describe the methods used to assess the quality of healthcare services, as well as how the quality improvement programs worked. The survey showed a preference for hospital accreditation as structured assessment method, as well as the organizational culture as the main hindering factor for the implementation of quality control.