engleski

Quality Management Systems in Croatian Institutes of Public Health

Quality is one of the preconditions to success in all areas, including the health sector. In recognition of this fact, continuous efforts are being made to improve the quality of health services in the Croatian health system. In addition to the mandatory application of the health care quality system, these efforts involve the integration of certification standards and health institutions accreditation standards. Accordingly, the paper presents the basic features and requirements of these standards, as well as the legislative framework of the Croatian health system aimed at improving the quality of health services, with special emphasis on improving the quality of healthcare and public health institution services. From the aspect of health services quality, special focus is placed on analysing the current situation regarding the implementation of a quality management system according to the ISO 9001:2008 standard and the accreditation standard for testing and medical laboratories in the Croatian institutes for public health, and a comparison is made with the situation in Slovenia. The principles underlying quality management systems are essential for the successful implementation of a quality system. In this context, this paper presents the results of research in terms of these principles applied to public health institutes in Croatian counties. Through the experience of others and the benefits that are achieved by applying accreditation and certification standards, especially the ISO 9001 standard, suggestions are made to ensure internal and external improvements in the activities of public health institutions.

public health ; accrediation standards ; ISO 9001:2008 ; TQM principles

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