Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Medical Education Research Center, Medical Education Development and Studies Management Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Office of Medical Education Development, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Background: The accreditation of teaching hospitals plays a pivotal role in advancing and preparing the clinical education environment. Each year, self-assessments and external evaluations are conducted in teaching healthcare centers. Although these processes constitute the initial steps of accreditation, gaining insight into the perceptions of key stakeholders (faculty members, students, administrators, and educational experts) represents the most effective approach for identifying impacts, challenges, and potential solutions. To this end, the present study aimed to elucidate stakeholders’ perspectives regarding the educational accreditation of teaching hospitals.
Methods: This study was conducted in 2023 using an exploratory qualitative approach. The participants comprised stakeholders involved in the educational accreditation of teaching hospitals, including educational deputies, accreditation experts, students, and faculty members of teaching healthcare centers. Purposive sampling was employed and continued until data saturation was achieved (n = 13). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted using an interview guide. Data analysis was performed using conventional content analysis, encompassing the stages of data collection (including audio recording), data reduction, inference, and analysis.
Results: A total of 422 initial codes were extracted and categorized into six main categories and nine subcategories. The main categories included: “Accreditation and the Role of Education in the Hospital”; “Accreditation as the Hospital’s Compass”; “Accreditation and the Preservation of Dignity”; “Structure and Process of Accreditation in the Hospital”; “The Dynamism of Evaluators and Accreditation Standards”; and “Integration of Educational and Clinical Accreditation”.
Conclusion: Accreditation should not be confined merely to its implementation; rather, the outcomes obtained from each standard should serve as a guide for the operational planning of teaching hospitals. Given the constraints in resources (human and financial), expenditures must be purposeful and strategically allocated. Moreover, the educational domain within these hospitals should be emphasized based on relevant standards (e.g., the presence of an educational deputy and related structures) and strengthened in terms of its institutional authority and position. The cumulative effect of these measures will be the improvement and reinforcement of student education and, consequently, the enhancement of the quality of care delivery within the health system.
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