NABH — the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers — is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India that sets accreditation standards for healthcare organisations.
What NABH is
NABH is a quality-assurance body that establishes accreditation standards for hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers. Its expert panels evaluate patient safety, facility cleanliness, staff competency and the adequacy of equipment — giving patients and payers a recognised mark of a well-run, safe provider.
How the standard is structured
NABH accreditation comprises 10 chapters, 100 standards and 503 objective elements, divided into two groups:
- Patient-centred standards — five areas covering patient access, patient rights, care quality, medication management and infection control
- Organisation-management standards — five areas covering quality improvement, management responsibility, facility safety, human resources and information systems
A growing cybersecurity focus
NABH increasingly recognises digital healthcare threats, expecting institutions to implement data encryption, access controls, network security, incident-response procedures, employee training and vendor-management protocols — reflecting how much patient data now lives in connected systems.
What accreditation delivers
For patients: informed care, credentialed professionals, medication safety, infection prevention and transparent communication.
For organisations: an enhanced reputation, higher patient satisfaction, staff development and stronger risk-management systems.
Who can be accredited
NABH offers accreditation pathways for hospitals, blood banks, dental facilities, clinics, medical laboratories, AYUSH hospitals, primary health centres and eye-care organisations.
International standing
NABH is a member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) and founded the Asian Society for Quality in Healthcare (ASQua) — giving its accreditation recognition beyond India.
ABS supports healthcare organisations toward NABH accreditation as part of its work across the healthcare sector.