Jordan Healthcare Accreditation Project (JHAP)

URC provided technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of health care services in hospitals and primary health care facilities. The project helped to establish and build the capacity of the Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC) to develop health care standards, certify health care professionals, monitor compliance with standards, and award accreditation. The project’s purpose was to establish a strong system of quality assurance and accreditation to address changing health needs and to sustain health care improvements.

• Established and built the capacity of the HCAC
• Assisted health care facilities to prepare for accreditation
• Developed standards for health care services
• Certified health care professionals
• Conducted accreditation surveys

• Established and laid the foundation for the future governance and sustainability of the national health care accreditation agency, the Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC).
• Supported HCAC to earn accreditation of its standards, its surveyor training program, and the agency itself by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).
• Assisted HCAC to develop strategic, business, marketing, and human resource plans, as well as comprehensive policies and procedures, building HCAC’s ability to generate private business and independently negotiate 12 contracts by the end of the project.
• Established strong political support for HCAC from the Government of Jordan and the Royal Court.
• Assisted HCAC to organize and hold two regional Quality Health Care Conferences & Exhibitions under the patronage of His Majesty, King Abdullah II.
• Increased HCAC’s recognition in the Middle East and North Africa region as a leader in improving the quality of care.
• Facilitated the development of three editions of hospital standards; two editions of primary health care and reproductive health standards; and the first editions of standards for breast imaging, medical transportation, diabetes mellitus, and cardiac care. 
• Guided HCAC in launching National Quality and Safety Goals under the patronage of Her Royal Highness, Princess Muna Al-Hussein, in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
• Developed certification programs for surveyors, quality improvement (QI) practitioners, infection preventionists, risk managers, hospital management and leadership, and HCAC consultants; and assisted in the certification of 117 health care professionals by the end of the project.
• Assisted the HCAC Department of Education and Consultation to develop 22 educational packages that can be used to prepare facilities for accreditation.
• Supported HCAC in accrediting 17 hospitals from the public, private, and university sectors and 42 public primary health care centers, and in certifying two breast imaging centers.