Accreditation

New Quality Standards Set-up for Wellness Centres

QCI hopes to bring standardisation in the wellness industry

Girdhar Gyani and Dr RK Srivastava

Now any spa or a health gym cannot claim itself as a 'wellness centre' as the National Board for Hospitals (NABH), a standard accreditation body for hospitals, has set-up new guidelines for the Indian wellness industry, which clearly defines a 'wellness centre.' Girdhar Gyani, Secretary General, Quality Council of India (QCI) and CEO, NABH on the launch of these new standards said, "As far as the hospital accreditation go we are almost way behind by two decades. But in this arena of wellness, we are moving hand to hand with the wellness industry as currently it is in a very nascent stage and such guidelines would help bring standardisation in this growing industry. Having standards for wellness centre is unique and this would eventually help the customers to make a choice of the appropriate medicinal services." The launch of the standards is the result of the initiative taken by major wellness industry players who conveyed the need for an indigenous standard for wellness. One of the first companies to receive this accreditation in India is Manipal Cure and Care which has established six wellness centres across India. It had already received a certification early this year from Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHSI). "It is not always feasible and economically viable for small Indian wellness operators to obtain accreditation from international agencies. Therefore, we felt a strong need to suggest that the QCI frame an Indian standard at par with the international standards, which could be implemented by all in our industry. These standards will go a long way in enhancing the growth and credibility of the wellness industry in India and also build consumer trust in a wellness brand for the Indian population is increasingly becoming quality conscious," reacted Somnath Das, COO, Manipal Cure and Care.

The wellness market in India is estimated to grow by 300 per cent in the next five years and thus with the establishment of these guidelines the accreditation body is hopeful that it will bring in quality standards in the preventive care segment.

"No where in the world there are any separate guidelines for wellness centres. So in a way this is one-of-its-kind in the world," informed Gyani. These standards for health and wellness accreditation would cover aspects like technology, trained manpower, infrastructure, customer safety, processes and controls apart from statutory and regulatory compliances. The standards would lay down stringent regulations for service providers to obtain mandatory full accreditation of the total services offered.

EH News Bureau