TIRUPATI: Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), Tirupati, has added another feather in its cap by getting the prestigious NABH – National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers – Accreditation. It has become the first hospital within the government sector in AP to get such a coveted certification.
NABH is an institutional member of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare, which provides accreditation to hospitals that adhere to quality standards. To improve services provided by the institute, SVIMS started its journey towards getting full accreditation from NABH in March 2015.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, SVIMS vice-chancellor and director Dr. B. Vengamma said teams were formed to work on the preparation of manuals, policies and procedures in line with the NABH standards. “We performed a gap analysis to identify what is available and what needs to be done in all areas to secure NABH accreditation. Monthly goals were set to close gaps. This exercise was tough as it required considerable documentation and there was resistance from staff. Yet they were motivated and trained to take up extra load. When we reached 75–80 per cent of the requirements for the accreditation, we applied for entry-level certification in January 2018 to assess our preparedness. Thereafter, we applied for full accreditation in April 2019, whose assessment got delayed due to pandemic,” the hospital director recalled.
Dr. Vengamma further explained, “The major noncompliance was with regard to fire NOC, which is mandatory for full accreditation. As SVIMS building had been constructed based on old norms, it did not have all fire-fighting equipment. It thus failed in securing a fire NOC. However, with support from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, all fire-fighting equipment worth ₹ 5.5 crores was installed, following which we got fire NOC in December 2021. We submitted it to the NABH and received confirmation of our accreditation on January 19, 2022,” Dr. Vengamma announced with pride.
