QAI launches accreditation standards for emergency department

The standards were launched on 30th June, 2021 by Dr Devi Shetty at a virtual event attended by more than 100 delegates

QAI has developed a new set of accreditation standards for emergency department. These are developed by the technical committee comprising experts in the field chaired by Professor (Dr) Tamorish Kole, Group Service Line Manager – Emergency Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, and President, Asian Society for Emergency Medicine, and supported by members Dr T S Srinath, Senior Consultant and HOD, Emergency Medicine, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, Dr Saravana Kumar, Consultant, Emergency Medicine and Unit General Manager, Dr Mehta’s Multispeciality Hospitals; Dr Kingsly Robert Gnanadurai, Head of the Department, Emergency Medicine and Deputy Chief of Medical Services, Bangalore Baptist Hospital; Dr Harsha Makwana, Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, VS Hospital, NHL Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad and Dr Rajesh D Pai, Additional Medical Superintendent, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences  and Research Centre, a statement said.

It notified that the standards were launched on 30th June, 2021 by Dr Shetty at a virtual event attended by more than 100 delegates.

“Delegates to 72^nd World Health Assembly resolution on emergency and trauma care has come to fruition with these standards. Standards are comprehensive, at times inspirational and aspirational, and drawn from several sources. I commend this document aiming to achieve high quality and patient safety,” said the Guest of Honour Professor Dr Melinda Truesdale, Chair, Quality and Patient Safety Special Interest Group, International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) and Senior Emergency Physician and Director, Royal Melbourne and Royal Women’s Hospitals, Australia.

On 30^th May, 2019, delegates at the 72^nd World Health Assembly adopted a resolution on emergency and trauma care aimed at helping countries to ensure timely care for the acutely ill and injured. It is estimated that more than half of deaths in low- and middle-income countries result from conditions that could be treated with pre-hospital and emergency care, including injuries; infections; acute exacerbations of cancer, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases; and complications of pregnancy.

Dr Shetty said, “Role of emergency medicine specialists in COVID-19 has been exemplary. I am glad in recent past there have been lots of initiatives by the Government of India to bring emergency medicine to the forefront, including mandate for all medical colleges in India to start emergency medicine services. Quality assessment and performance of emergency services will standardise and improve care of patients. I am glad that QAI has developed accreditation standards for emergency department which will help in standardisation and improvement of emergency services.”