What exactly are accreditation and certification? What is the difference between accreditation and certification? What are...

Accreditation is a process of quality assurance to evaluate an organizations adherence to standards . It is a formal recognition provided by a self regularized authorized body. The main goals of accreditation is to ensure organizational structure, employees meet minimum standards of quality.It maintains a track on institution consistency in meeting quality standards by conducting periodical meetings and audit. Accreditation serves as a means to compare standards of care between different organization across the country.

Certification is a voluntary evaluation of organization or individual department compliance with set of standards and rules.

Joint commission is am independent, non profit group functioning in United states that provides voluntary accreditation programs for hospitals and health care. Benefits of JCA includes strengthening of patient safety, delivering quality patient care, reduces risk associated with medical negligence and malpractice, constant staff education , to improve compliance of hospitals to standards and protocol of practice, improves staff recruitment and professional growth.