NABH and JCI accreditation are promoted as hallmarks of patient safety, quality care, and global best practices. However, ground reality raises an uncomfortable question: are these accreditations actually reducing medical negligence, or merely systematizing paperwork to defend it?
In practice, accreditation frameworks have become heavily documentation-driven. Hospitals focus on consent forms, disclaimers, SOPs, checklists, and records—not necessarily on clinical competence, ethical decision-making, or accountability for outcomes. When adverse events occur, the first line of defense is often not clinical justification or patient-centered transparency, but well-drafted consent documents and compliance files prepared to withstand legal scrutiny.
As a result, accreditation risks becoming a legal shield rather than a safety net. The presence of a certificate reassures regulators and patients on paper, while systemic issues—overworked clinicians, understaffing, poor clinical governance, and commercial pressures—remain largely untouched. Negligence is not prevented; it is managed, documented, and defended.
If accreditation truly aimed to reduce negligence, its focus would shift from form-filling to measurable clinical outcomes, independent incident investigation, and real consequences for repeated failures. Until then, the paradox remains: hospitals may be accredited, yet medical negligence continues unabated—protected not by better care, but by better paperwork.
By Dr Sambbhu Chakraborty
Quality Council of India(QCI)
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare (NABH)
ISQua
ISQua EEA
CAHO – Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations
World Health Organization
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About the Author
Dr. Sambhu Chakraborty is a distinguished consultant in quality accreditation for laboratories and hospitals. With a leadership portfolio that includes directorial roles in two laboratory organizations and a consulting firm, as well as chairman of International Organization of Laboratories ( An ILAC stakeholder organisation), Dr. Chakraborty is a respected voice in the field. For further engagement or inquiries, Dr. Chakraborty can be contacted through email at info@sambhuchakraborty.com and contact information are available on his websites,https://www.quality-pathshala.com and https://www.sambhuchakraborty.com , or via WhatsApp at +919830051583