ISO 7101:2023 "Healthcare organization management - Management systems for quality in healthcare organizations - Requirements" was published at the end of September. This standard provides healthcare organizations with requirements that, if met, will give confidence in their ability to consistently respond to service users, stakeholders, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements. It also contributes to improving the service user experience across the continuum of care, continuously improving the quality of healthcare, and creating and maintaining processes that ensure timely, safe, effective, efficient, equitable and people-centered care.
ISO 7101 follows the now familiar Harmonized Structure for management systems standards and is the first standard in the ISO portfolio to incorporate the new version of the harmonized structure that includes climate change considerations. As a generic standard, applicable to all types of healthcare organizations, it will help organizations navigate the complexities of healthcare, from limited resources and an ageing population to challenges such as global pandemics. It stresses the need for timely, safe, and people-centered care, highlighting the urgency of adaptation due to the rise of virtual healthcare and technological advances.
Nigel H. Croft
Member of the APCER Advisory Board
