The document outlines the steps involved in the hospital accreditation process with the Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions (CBAHI) in Saudi Arabia. It describes the registration process with CBAHI, the survey team composition and activities, including pre-survey, on-site survey, and post-survey activities. The on-site survey typically lasts 3 days and involves reviewing documents, conducting staff interviews and facility tours, and presenting findings. Hospitals are responsible for coordinating logistics and providing required documents and personnel files to facilitate the survey.

1. Hospital Orientation Program

3. Outline
The Hospital Accreditation Process Guide contains:
• Registration with CBAHI
• Scoring Methodology
• Hospital Responsibilities
• CBAHI Survey Process
• Pre-Survey Activities
• Resources to assist the hospital
• Survey Team Composition
• Survey Scheduling and Survey Agenda
• Off-site Survey Activities
• On-site Survey Activities
• Post Survey Activities

4. Registration with CBAHI

5. How to Register with CBAHI
• Open your web browser e.g. Internet Explorer
• Type www.cbahi.gov.sa in the address bar
• Choose "Health Care Facility" and click Login.
• You will be directed to other web page. Click on the icon "register to
become a CBAHI Accredited Healthcare Facility" and you will again be
directed to other web page.
• Start entering your hospital information.
• After completing all required information, you are required to:
• Type the security numbers as they appear on the left bottom of the
page.
• A message about completion of registration will be displayed
specifying the Username and Password.
• Use the specified Username and Password to access the CBAHI
portal
Page 3

8. How to Register with CBAHI
• Open your web browser e.g. Internet Explorer
• Type www.cbahi.gov.sa in the address bar
• Choose "Health Care Facility" and click Login.
• You will be directed to other web page. Click on the icon "register to
become a CBAHI Accredited Healthcare Facility" and you will again be
directed to other web page.
• Start entering your hospital information.
• After completing all required information, you are required to:
• Type the security numbers as they appear on the left bottom of the
page.
• A message about completion of registration will be displayed
specifying the Username and Password.
• Use the specified Username and Password to access the CBAHI
portal
Page 3

9. Scoring Methodology

10. • Each sub-standard has equal weight and is scored on a three
point scale as follows:
0 = < 50% Compliance
1 = >= 50% - < 80% Compliance
2 = >= 80% Compliance
N/A = Not Applicable
• The overall score of the hospital is automatically calculated by
the software application using the average (arithmetic mean)
score of all applicable sub-standards, i.e. as the sum of all values
divided by the number of values added.
• 3,588 scorable sub-standards.
• There is no chapter score
10
Scoring Guidelines

11. Scoring Guidelines
Special scoring considerations
• All ESRs should be in full compliance. If more than 25% of ESRs are
partially or not met, the hospital will get Conditional Accreditation.
The hospital is required then to develop a “Standards Compliance
Progress Report”, followed by a “follow up Focused Survey” if
required before changing the accreditation status.
• Criticality of a non-compliant standard.
o Criticality has several levels, the most serious of which is when the
surveyor notices an immediate threat to safety or quality of care.
Such as: Healthcare provider is entering an isolation room without
proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
o The criticality of non-compliant standards affects the accreditation
decision.

12. Hospital Responsibilities

13. Responsibilities of Participating Hospitals
Survey Visit Coordinator
• The survey visit coordinator designated by the hospital will
serve as the liaison with the Healthcare Accreditation
Department (HAD) and the survey team leader about the
survey visit arrangements.
Survey Team Biographies
• A list of survey team members, with their biographies, will
be sent to the hospital prior to the survey visit.
• The hospital should contact the Healthcare Accreditation
Department promptly if any surveyor is deemed to be
inappropriate due to conflict of interest or other valid
reasons.
• Note: CBAHI cannot honor requests for specific surveyors for
the purpose of objectivity.
• Page 6

14. Responsibilities of participating hospitals
Travel Arrangements
• The hotel and flight reservations will be arranged by CBAHI.
A list of assigned surveyors together with their flights’ details
and mobile numbers will be sent to the hospital’s survey
coordinator prior to the survey.
• The hospital should arrange ground transportation from the
airport to the hotel.
• The hospital should decide how to transport the team
members each day between their hotel and the hospital and
to any remote sites they will visit as part of the survey.
• Additionally, the hospital should arrange transportation
from the hotel to the airport according to the departure time
of surveyors
Gifts to Survey Team Members

15. Responsibilities of participating hospitals
Survey Logistics
• Hospitals should provide appropriate logistics that include the
following:
• A workroom that is large enough for the survey team members
to review documents and leave computers and binders. The
workroom needs to be furnished with a desk or table, access to
electrical outlets, and internet access, if available.
• Workrooms for group meetings and interviews with staff as
specified in the survey agenda.
• Assigning a counterpart for each surveyor who is a responsible
person for the same specialty during the survey.
Survey Observers
• One or more observers or mentors may join the CBAHI survey
team as part of the surveyors’ training process.
• Observers and mentors from CBAHI side will be included in the
list of the surveyors sent by hospital accreditation department
prior to the survey.

16. CBAHI Survey Process

17. Pre-Survey Activities

18. Pre-survey Activities
Enrollment for Survey
• The accreditation process begins with selection of the hospitals to be
surveyed.
• Each year, CBAHI selects the hospitals to be enrolled in the
accreditation program.
• CBAHI sends a letter of enrollment to the selected hospitals to start
their application process.
Application for Survey
• After completion of the enrollment process, hospitals selected for
the accreditation process must complete an applicationform
(demographic questionnaire) available on the CBAHI website which
include:
o Hospital Information
o Leadership Contacts
o In-patient Units
o Specialty Units
o Out-patient services
o Top 5 diagnosis Page 7
o Site demographics

19. Pre-survey activities
Update of Application Information
• If a hospital experiences significant changes after it submits
its application, the changes must be made in the application
form within five (5) business days of this change.
• The requirement of updating the application information
includes updates of the main contact persons of the hospital
to ensure an ongoing communication channel
Update for Reaccreditation Survey
• The update for a re-accreditation survey should be
completed by accredited hospitals. This update for re-survey
must be completed and submitted to CBAHI twelve (12)
weeks prior to the accreditation expiration.

20. Resources to Assist the
Hospital

21. Resources to Assist Hospitals
• CBAHI accreditation coordinator
• Assigned by CBAHI
• Coordinate survey planning
• CBAHI Standards Manual
• Introduction
• Accreditation policies
• CBAHI standards
• Accreditation Process Guide
• Survey Preparation
• Self-assessment guide
• On-going standards compliance
• Continuous quality improvement.
Page 9

22. Resources to Assist Hospitals
• Self-Assessment Tool (SAT)
• Critical and integral part of CBAHI accreditation process
• Valuable information for improvement
• Hospital Orientation Program (HOP)
• Standard introduction and implementation
• Accreditation policies
• Survey process preparation
• Mock Survey
• Recommended but not mandatory
• Consultative Visit
• Upon request
• Optional
• One or more selected area(s)
• Requests for Interpretation of Accreditation Standards and
Policies
• CBAHI website “contact us”
Page 9

24. Survey Team Composition

25. Survey Team Composition
• The survey team size and composition is based on a careful
review of:
 Size of the facility to be surveyed, based on average daily
census.
 Complexity of services offered, including surgical and
anesthesia services.
 Whether the facility has special care units or off-site
clinics or locations.
Page 11

26. Survey Team Composition
• A typical full survey of a hospital, the survey team would
include seven (7) surveyors who will be at the facility for three
(3) or more days:
• Main (Core) Team
• Leadership & Quality Management Surveyor
• Medical Surveyor
• Nursing Surveyor
• Specialty Team
• Medication Management Surveyor
• Infection Control Surveyor
• Laboratory Surveyor
• Facility Management and Safety Surveyor
Page 11

27. Off-Site Survey Activities
On-Site Survey Activities
Survey Scheduling and
Survey Agenda

28. Off-Site Survey Activities
• The hospital scheduled for the onsite survey shall send a list of the
off-site required documents, for the off-site review by the
surveyors at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the onsite
survey.
• The list shall be communicated, as a signed and scanned PDF
document, with the scheduling coordinator in the HAD
department.
• Sample of off-site documents:
Page 14

29. Role of the Visit Team Leader:
• Review the uploaded hospital demographic data.
• Review hospital website (if any) for any additional
information related to the survey.
• Deal with any conflicts arising between surveyors and/or
with the hospital.
• Communicate with hospital visit coordinator the required
medical records to be selected.
• Communicate with hospital visit coordinator to ensure that
the requested personnel files ready prior to the personnel
files review session.
• Coordinate and arrange a new session “if needed”.

30. On-Site Survey Activities
• The survey visit will last for 3 days.
• The survey commences with:
- Opening conference
- Closed document session.
- Facility tour
- Observation/staff interview
- Open medical record
- Closed medical record
- Personnel files
- Multiple committees meetings:
 Quality management
 Environmental safety
 P&T committee
 Medical executive
 Executive leadership
 Infection control
 Contract review committee

31. Sample Survey Agenda
P.49 – 52

32. On-Site Survey Activities
Surveyor Planning Session P.16
• Only surveyors attend this session
Opening Conference P.17
• Greeting on behalf of the team members & CBAHI.
• Introduction of survey team members.
• Call hospital leader to start the hospital presentation. The
hospital leadership shall introduce:
o The hospital structure
oThe hospital scope of services
o Highlight the hospital improvement initiatives.
o The surveyors' counterpart to facilitate the smooth flow of
the survey process.

33. On-Site Survey Activities
Review of Documents (Closed Session Sample)
Annex
B
P.55
–
81

34. On-Site Survey Activities
• Unit Document “Documented evidences” Sample
Annex
B
P.55
–
81

35. On-Site Survey Activities
Surveyors Business Lunch
Only surveyors attend this meeting
Surveyors End of the Day Meeting
Only surveyors attend this meeting.
Surveyors Debriefing
oThe surveyors present their findings to their counterparts for
discussion and clarification.
oThis allows for direct face-to-face interaction with the
surveyors.
oAllows the hospital to clarify or explain possible discrepancies
or compliance issues.

36. On-Site Survey Activities
Medical Record Review (Closed and open)
• Surveyors will use both closed and open medical
records.
• While closed records determine the past practice and
the frequency of a deficient practice, open records
reflect services provided at the time of the survey.
Annex C

37. On-Site Survey Activities
Annex C

38. On-Site Survey Activities
Personnel Files Review
• Hospitals are required to have the requested personnel files
ready prior to the personnel files review session.
• The surveyors will provide the hospital with the randomly
selected personnel files list required to be reviewed during
the session
• Hospitals are encouraged to present the needed
documentation in one location to ensure comprehensiveness
of personnel data and the employment history in the hospital

39. Personnel Files Review
On-Site Survey Activities
Annex D

40. On-Site Survey Activities
Facility Tour and Unit Visits
• Hospitals should assign a counterpart for each surveyor to guide the
surveyor to the various survey sites.
• At all times during the unit visits, the surveyors gather information
with minimal disruption of the daily activities of the hospital being
surveyed.
• During this activity, the surveyor moves through the hospital and
visits all areas of the hospital that affect the delivery of care and
services.
• The hospital staff are interviewed, facilities are observed, and
records are checked to ensure compliance with certain standards’
requirements. This activity also includes a facility tour conducted for
review of infection control and facility management and safety
standards.

41. On-Site Survey Activities
P.27

42. On-Site Survey Activities
Committee guidelines and requirements sample

43. On-Site Survey Activities
Report Preparation session
• Only surveyors attend this session.
• To provide the hospital with the possible challenges and areas for
improvement.
• Provide the hospital with the list of non-compliant “ESR’s” that need
immediate leadership attention.
Closing Conference
• At the conclusion of the on-site survey, after collection of final data, the
surveyors hold a closing conference at which they present key findings
and the hospital’s areas for improvement.
• Exit report will be provided to the hospital director including the draft of
major findings in ESRs and other standards in all specialties
Note: As the surveyors are “fact finders” for the CBAHI, they do not render
the final accreditation decision, but instead they report findings to the
CBAHI. Therefore, during the exit conference, the surveyors will not state
whether the hospital will be awarded an accreditation.
P.40

44. Post Survey Activities

45. Post Survey Activities
Survey Report
• Within 30 days
• Cover letter, detailed sub-standards by chapter, ESRs, Executive summary.
• Accreditation is valid for 3 years.
Accreditation Maintenance
• Maintain compliance for the entire accreditation duration
• Right of CBAHI to review hospital compliance
• Mid-term self assessment.
Page 42 - 46

46. Post Survey Activities
Self-assessment Tool (SAT)
• To assist hospitals measure their compliance with CBAHI standards,
maintain a status of accreditation readiness and oversees the quality and
safety of patient care.
• It is intended for use by the hospital leadership, planners, hospital
committees’ team members.
• The tool is expected to provide hospitals with means of evaluating their
plans, policies, procedures and capabilities against current CBAHI standards
• Identify its own strengths and areas for improvement
• Understand more clearly the issues that are of interest to CBAHI
• Export the data for analysis and evaluation by CBAHI
Page 42 - 46

47. Post Survey Activities
Self-assessment tool (SAT)
• Initial (prior to initial survey)
• At the middle of accreditation cycle (18-month)
• CBAHI reminder at 15-month
• Submit SAT with action plans for non-satisfactory compliances, date,
responsible staff, and measures to ensure sustainability.
• 0 = insufficient compliance,
• 1 = partial compliance, and
• 2 = satisfactory compliance
• “NA” = Not Applicable
• How to access SAT (next presentation)
Page 42 - 46

48. Post Survey Activities
Survey Feedback
• CBAHI wish to evaluate and improve its performance.
• Hospital feedback.
• Ensure the continuing growth and improvement of CBAHI’s
accreditation program.
• Email reminder
• Feedback:
CBAHI standards,
Survey process
Surveyors performance.
Page 42 - 46

49. Thank you