Advancing patient safety across India’s healthcare landscape

When it comes to delivering care for patients, every healthcare system is ultimately measured by one question: Can patients trust that the care they receive will not only be safe and consistent, but also a true reflection of commitment to clinical excellence, quality, and their well-being? Patients enter healthcare settings during some of their most vulnerable moments, placing immense trust in clinicians, nurses, and care teams to provide treatment and deliver a care experience anchored in safety, communication, and coordination at every level. When these elements are present, they build trust and confidence; when they are absent, the patient experience suffers, weakening the confidence patients and caregivers place in care teams when it matters most.

One of the foundational duties of healthcare systems and providers is to proactively prevent and mitigate risk to patients, ensuring that individuals receive quality care when they need it, without experiencing unintended injury or illness. Yet, despite the best efforts of clinicians and care teams, there is always the possibility of preventable harm, especially in critical care settings. According to the World Health Organization, globally, around 1 in every 10 hospitalized patients experience harm, with at least 50% being preventable. This can range from medication management errors to miscommunication among care teams or delays in treatment.

Clear standards and accountability measures help to safeguard patients, and at the system level, help healthcare organizations identify and reduce risk and strengthen cross-functional coordination, ultimately leading to better and safer outcomes for all. Day-to-day, this might look like clear communication protocols among hospital staff to ensure that patient information is consistently shared across care teams, or robust verification systems to ensure the right patient is provided the right treatment. And, in the long term, these impacts can shape culture: a strong safety culture encourages staff to raise concerns and escalate risks when something does go wrong, as well as speak up to prevent an adverse event before it occurs — contributing to continuous improvement without fear of blame.

As cited in a Journal of Medical Internet Research Medical Informatics report, India's healthcare industry is expected to exceed US $610 billion in 2026, underscoring the rapid evolution of the country's healthcare ecosystem. Given that healthcare systems are becoming larger and more interconnected, maintaining consistency in care delivery is undoubtedly a complex challenge, especially in countries like India that are experiencing rapid growth and emerging as an important player in global healthcare. India has already demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing this challenge through initiatives such as the National Patient Safety Implementation Framework, the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which are helping strengthen patient safety, standardize quality, and advance digital integration across the healthcare system.

As India’s healthcare ecosystem continues to evolve in response to emerging priorities, maintaining consistent standards across healthcare settings has become fundamental and foundational in ensuring safe and effective care. A growing healthcare workforce alongside growing patient demand calls for structured quality frameworks that both support this growth while ensuring patient trust and safety is prioritized. However, the reality is that the scale and diversity of India create complexities across regions, customs, and practices that can create barriers to implementation. Addressing these complexities requires accountability, consistency, and continuous improvement across healthcare settings to ensure systems forge a path toward safe, quality care for all. In this environment, international accreditation can serve as a valuable tool to help healthcare organizations measure, assess, and improve performance. India’s national accrediting body, the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers, has played an important role in advancing quality and patient safety standards across the country’s healthcare ecosystem, with many organizations embracing accreditation to help them demonstrate their systems’ commitment to effective care and continuous improvement.

In this new era of healthcare growth and demands, patient populations are increasingly seeking care beyond their immediate local communities — oftentimes crossing borders for specialized care. International accreditation programs, such as those offered by Joint Commission International, provide hospitals with globally recognized methods for evaluating and continuously improving patient safety and care delivery. They offer guidance for developing and implementing strategies that address the most complex issues facing health systems, identifying key vulnerabilities, and ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the patient care experience. Today, Joint Commission International works with healthcare organizations in over 75 countries and more than 1,000 organizations outside of the United States have earned accreditation or certification, allowing them to proudly display the JCI Gold Seal of Approval®— one of the most recognized symbols of quality in healthcare.

For patients, families, and other loved ones, international accreditation signals that the facility they are visiting is committed to quality and safety. For providers and healthcare professionals, it means the stewardship of a culture of learning and continuous improvement, helping to ensure that risks are continually evaluated and actively minimized. At the systems level, international accreditation can also complement national quality efforts such as India’s National Quality Assurance Standard. Joint Commission International accreditation frameworks can further elevate care and benchmark practices against global patient safety and quality standards.

At Joint Commission International, we are celebrating the commitments made by the government in India regarding patient safety, care quality, and digital healthcare, and we thank colleagues across the health field in the country for their commitment to delivering safe and high-quality care. As India continues advancing its ambitious healthcare modernization goals, international accreditation frameworks are the natural progress to support the next phase of quality improvement, patient safety advancement, and organizational resilience — and Joint Commission International is a trusted partner in India and beyond, offering a clear and practical path to advance performance and demonstrate a commitment to global standards.

To learn more, visit JCI Accreditation in India | Joint Commission International.

AUTHOR: James I. Merlino, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Joint Commission

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