How can we improve the quality of health care in Japan? Learning from JCQHC hospital accreditation.

The World Health Report 2000 placed Japan first for overall health system attainment: a surprising development considering that, aside from discussing excessive expenditure, health care professionals and the Health Ministry have paid little attention recently to the quality of health care. Japan's free access policy and the universal health care system have actually fostered a very relaxed attitude toward evaluation. Concerned about the possible risks to patient safety, physicians established a volunteer association to promote quality health care issues. Then in 1995, the Japan Council for Quality Health Care (JCQHC) was founded to implement the third party accreditation of hospitals. Concurrent with the formation of the JCQHC, the sharply rising costs of malpractice litigation motivated the authorities and medical facilities to work toward protecting patient safety at different levels. Despite the WHO's positive review, critics maintain that significant inequities still exist in Japanese health care. Examples include, financial inequities between private and public hospitals, and the number and quality of hospitals and physicians between rural and urban areas. To protect patient safety and improve the quality of care, every effort must be made to eliminate inequities in the health care system. JCQHC accreditation is an important tool for furthering these efforts.