[The major trends of the French accreditation process. A review of the first 182 reports published].
OBJECTIVE
To reply to the following questions: what is the status of the accreditation process and what are the general trends pointed out by the experts-visitors ?


METHODS
A study was conducted on the 182 accreditation reports regarding health centres, published by the Anaes from June 2000 to July 2002. A reading scale was developed and data was registered in the database. Statistical analysis first described the hospitals (legal status, location, size, number of sites, presence or lack of technical devices, emergency units, and consultations) and then matched them with the specific parameters of the accreditation process (date of involvement, date of audit, date of the accreditation deliberation, number of experts and visitors and number and type of decisions.


RESULTS
The results underlined the most frequent decisions among the 10 referentials of the accreditation process. The patients' case reports and the management of quality and prevention predominated. Recent French laws and the decision of the Anaes to apply these themes in their strategic orientation can explain this.


CONCLUSIONS
The large hospital size and multi-sites organisation appeared to be negative elements and justify the apprehension felt by the 'major hospitals'.
Ousset
S
S
Cellule d'évaluation médicale, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille. sophie.tardieu@ap-hm.fr
Gentile
S
S
Tardieu
S
S
Bouvenot
J
J
Fontaine
M E
ME
Teissier
M
M
Jouve
E
E
Sambuc
R
R
D000068:Accreditation / Q000639:trends*; D003657:Decision Making; D005602:France; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011640:Public Policy; D011786:Quality Control