The Islamabad hospital has earned the Joint Commission International Clinical Care Program Certification in two areas at once, being Acute Ischemic Stroke and Acute Coronary Syndrome. There has been no such instance in any part of the world.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has achieved something unique in terms of healthcare in the world. The Shifa International Hospital has been recognized as the world’s only hospital that possesses Joint Commission International (JCI) Certification for Clinical Care Program for both Acute Ischemic Stroke and Acute Coronary Syndrome, which are the most urgent emergencies in medical care. This achievement of Shifa International Hospital with respect to its JCI certification is truly unique.
What these two JCI certifications include
Shifa International Hospital’s dual JCI certification applies to the two illnesses that decide whether a patient is going to live or die or get better without suffering any disability and time is very critical when it comes to these two illnesses. JCI takes a look at the complete care cycle for both of these illnesses from the time the patients enter the hospital through to recovery stage.
Why this is a true international distinction
Few hospitals across the globe possess either of the JCI certifications for Stroke or Acute Coronary Syndrome. This scarcity of each of these certifications speaks volumes about the level of assessment involved – one that goes beyond simply evaluating patient outcomes to encompassing processes, procedures, training of the personnel, and mechanisms of quality assurance throughout the patient experience.
For Shifa International Hospital to be the first one to obtain both certifications at once means that its systems of delivering emergency cardiovascular and neurological care are equally good at both fronts.
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What was included in the evaluation process
The JCI evaluation of the care programmes of Shifa International included an evaluation of the patient care process from the time of first emergency treatment to treatment and recovery, up to follow-up. The scope of the evaluation is thus comprehensive in that it takes into account a process rather than just performance at one particular moment in time, unlike many hospitals’ accreditation process.
Implications for health care in Pakistan
The JCI certification accomplishment by the Shifa International Hospital shows that there is an institution in Pakistan leading in terms of international standards for cardiac and stroke care. It sends out the message that for patients in Pakistan, internationally standardized emergency care for two of the biggest causes of mortality and morbidity in the country is now available in the country without the need to travel outside of it.
Nayab Fatima is a university graduate and an emerging media professional with a strong passion for journalism, research, and independent reporting. She specializes in developing well-researched, fact-based, and analytical news stories covering a wide range of sectors, with particular expertise in technology, telecommunications, aviation, and the automobile industry.
