Certification process

The RS Law on Health Care mandates a certification procedure (see picture). The procedure is conducted by ASKVA, and the RS Minister of Health and Social Welfare, given the ASKVA report, renders a decision to confirm certification. A health care institution without a certification decision cannot keep on providing health care services. Certification is conducted every seven years according to the predefined and published program brought by the Minister on ASKVA’s suggestion.

After certification registration of a health care institution, ASKVA appoints a team of auditors. Team consists of trained peer health professionals and ASKVA employees. Then, ASKVA proposes a plan of audit in accordance with the auditing team and the institution being audited.

While conducting an audit, auditors collect information from various sources that help them to determine fulfilment of standards. These include:

• Interview with management/MD/dentist/pharmacist;
• Interview with other team members;
• Direct observation of activities in team/clinic/office;
• Examination of medical documentation;
• Examination of data and documents (book of procedures, rulebooks etc).

Auditing is preformed at the health care institution in a way that does not interfere every day work. After auditing, auditors write an audit report that is being submitted to the RS Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Given the report, the Minister brings a decision to confirm certification. If the decision is not issued to audited health care institution, it may not engage in health care activities.