Washington, D.C., July 9, 2010
—A new publication by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will help health care organizations in emerging markets reach international standards of patient safety, service quality, and ethics—issues that are increasingly critical worldwide.
The publication,
Self-Assessment Guide for Health Care Organizations
, was developed by IFC with support from medical experts around the globe and the foremost international health care accreditation body, the Joint Commission International.
In developed countries, an estimated one in ten patients is harmed while receiving hospital care—that probability is much higher in developing countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, weaknesses in health care quality are sometimes considered a greater barrier to health improvement than access.
“Improving patient safety is one of the most urgent issues facing health care today,” said Guy Ellena, IFC Director for Health and Education. “We are happy to share this guide with health care organizations, including IFC clients, partners, and other stakeholders to help them reach international standards.”
The guide provides a structured approach to assessing standards and procedures and directs users to areas where improvements are required. It will be useful for organizations that aim for international standards, including those that may wish to achieve some form of international accreditation but do not have the resources for specialist advice.
The guide will help reduce preventable medical mistakes and improve the quality and, ultimately, the affordability of health care for the consumer. It also will be a useful resource for risk managers, business leaders, policy makers, and others working in health care.
IFC is the world’s largest multilateral investor in private health care in emerging markets and supports the growth of health care in developing countries in a sustainable and socially responsible way. To download the guide, go to
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/che.nsf/Content/IFCHealthGuide
.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing capital for private enterprise, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $14.5 billion in fiscal 2009, helping channel capital into developing countries during the financial crisis. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
