New Delhi: In an effort to raise the bar of medical education and patient care, the government is preparing a quality audit of all 808 medical colleges across India. According to senior officials and documents reviewed by Mint, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is finalizing a uniform checklist of standards for medical teaching hospitals, laboratories and intensive care units, a move aimed at harmonizing patient safety and clinical training nationwide.
The new National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) will define measurable indicators for wards and specialist units, enabling hospitals to more transparently track outcomes and help patients make informed care decisions.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns about the uneven quality of healthcare delivery, with The Lancet estimating that substandard medical care claims about 1.6 million lives in India each year.
Officials say the framework discussed at the 11th meeting of the central quality oversight committee in August signals a shift toward evidence-based and outcomes-based oversight of medical training and hospital performance.
The meeting discussed the development of standards for medical schools, Block Public Health Laboratories (BPHL) and Intensive Care Blocks (CCB).
“Standards and measurables specific to medical teaching hospitals under NQAS have been finalized and it has been decided to form special task forces to develop department-specific assessment checklists,” said the document reviewed by Mint.
The first meeting of the expert group, set up to set quality standards for hospitals attached to medical colleges, has already taken place, an informed official said.
Another official familiar with the development said the standards and measurables for the public health block laboratories have already been drafted and work is underway to create a checklist in line with the operational guidelines.
Requirements specific to critical care units are being strengthened to ensure comprehensive quality improvement, the official added. These blocks cover key service areas, including emergency departments, intensive care units (ICUs), isolation wards, operating theaters and delivery rooms, and neonatal care units.
As the new rules are still under development, specific decisions on punitive measures for non-compliance have not yet been finalized.
The National Medical Commission, the main regulator of medical colleges in India, has significant punitive powers under existing laws, including the power to derecognize medical colleges and impose monetary penalties.
Patient safety
Dr Alexander Thomas, public health expert and founder and patron of the Association of Nationally Accredited Institutions (ANBAI), said it would be a “fundamental step to raise and harmonize standards across all medical schools, ensuring consistent patient safety and clinical excellence, while having a direct impact on the outcomes of medical training and care”.
Incorporating these standards into teaching and routine operations will help future healthcare professionals appreciate evidence-based quality and safety early in their careers, which will raise national standards over time, he added.
Dr Thomas also said that high-quality checklists are essential for rigorous adherence to infection control protocols, particularly in critical care settings and laboratory settings where lapses can lead to adverse outcomes, including hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), which increase patient morbidity and mortality.
“A rigorous and uniform system of quality checklists in Indian medical colleges and critical health blocks is not only a regulatory requirement but also a public health imperative,” he said. “Uniform quality checklists create clarity and focus for institutions and eliminate ‘checklist fatigue’ caused by having to follow multiple overlapping or conflicting protocols. Improved documentation, audits and regular feedback loops driven by checklist compliance will help team and management quickly identify and correct deficiencies.”
Inquiries sent to a Health Department spokesperson on Saturday remained unanswered as of press time.
“Setting quality standards is a very useful exercise for medical colleges. The ministry has asked us for it and we are going to nominate some experts from our side,” said Dr Abhijath Seth, chairman of the National Medical Commission, which oversees the functioning of medical colleges in India.
