Certification of medical care in Mexico facilities: analysis of the incentives for its continuity

Abstract

Objective. To analyze the possible effect of certification models and healthcare organizations’ (HOs) participation incentives in the General Health Council certification process in the 1999-2017 period. Materials and methods. Offi­cial printed and online documents about HOs’ certification were collected. Information from instances related to the process was requested through transparency mechanisms. Health organizations’ participation in political-administrative periods between 1997-2017 was analyzed. Results. The annual average participation in the certification process during the 1999-2000 period was 259.5 HOs; during the 2013-2016 period, the average was 72.5. Public units’ participation in this process has been decreasing. In 2017, certified HO were <1%. Conclusions. No positive effects of adjustments to the certification model or the incentives applied were identified. Conversely, there is decreasing participation in the different political-administrative periods. The National HO Certifica­tion System and its possible effect on clinical quality must be thoroughly evaluated.

Keywords

• certificación
• acreditación
• instituciones de salud
• calidad de la atención de salud
• incentivos
• méxico