Understanding Accreditation: The Crucial Steps of the Accreditation Process

The accreditation process can be different for every institution. It depends on several factors, such as the institution itself and the programs to be accredited. Also, while some programs and schools can be accredited regionally, others can be accredited by a national accrediting agency. Other institutions can also be accredited by specialized accrediting agencies that focus on certain disciplines or educational programs.

Do you want to know how the accreditation process starts? Do you want to better understand the process as a whole? Do you want to know the steps that institutions have to go through to secure proper accreditation for their whole institution or programs?

Voltaire Healthcare Consultant, a provider of health care consulting services, aims to explain the important process of accreditation, including the individual steps that institutions go through to ensure that they receive the accreditation that they are seeking.

1. Self-examination and preparation. The institution seeing accreditation must prepare all the necessary documents and materials needed. Oftentimes, they must create a written report of their accomplishments. Achievements that can help them meet the standards of the accrediting agency must be highlighted.
2. Peer Review. Once you have submitted all necessary paperwork, administrative and faculty peers will thoroughly review the prepared materials, including all reports and documents provided.
3. Visit and Examination. After the peer review, most accreditation agencies will send a team to visit your institution. Upon their visit, these accreditors will determine whether your institution meets the standards of high-quality education.
4. Decision. The accreditation agency will contact their commission to review all collected information and deny or confirm your accreditation status.
5. Continuous Review. Once your accreditation status has been confirmed, you will be held responsible for upholding the quality standards set by the accreditation agency. The accredited institution, university, or college must agree to periodically submit to an accreditation renewal review. Accreditation is an on-going process. Accredited institutions must consistently prove that they are meeting high-quality educational standards every year.

Generally, it takes approximately 18 months – 2 years to complete the initial accreditation process. However, this timeline is dependent upon different variables.

To better understand the accreditation process, we encourage you to talk to a seasoned health care consultant in Miami Gardens, FL. Send us your inquiries below and we’ll get in touch with you shortly.