Consistency in safety and quality of medical care
Joint Commission International awards HPA Gambelas with quality seal for the 3rd time

HPA Magazine 23 // 2025

Dr. João Bacalhau
Chairman of the Board of Directors
CEO Grupo HPA Saúde

TOP MANAGEMENT

JCI certification is extremely important for healthcare organizations, as it not only validates the quality and safety of the care provided but also strengthens governance, operational efficiency, innovation, and financial sustainability, ensuring that the institution is aligned with the best global practices and international quality standards.

For senior management, represented by Dr. João Bacalhau, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the HPA Saúde Group, these are the most important aspects of accreditation (in the case of Gambelas, a third re-accreditation) by an organization as prestigious as JCI.
Senior management should consider JCI as a strategic tool that contributes to the continuous development of the institution and the provision of high-quality health care, ensuring credibility, competitiveness, and long-term success.
JCI certification is globally recognized as a seal of quality and excellence in healthcare. For senior management, obtaining this certification represents clear evidence that the organization adopts best practices, ensuring that the institution is perceived as a reference for quality for both patients and strategic partners.
In highly competitive markets, such as healthcare, having this certification can be a crucial differentiator, attracting qualified patients, professionals, and employees.
JCI certification is not limited to clinical quality alone but also includes organizational efficiency. This includes the management of administrative, financial, and human resources processes, promoting the efficient use of material, human, and financial resources.
By improving operational efficiency and ensuring that processes are carried out based on best practices, JCI certification can contribute to the financial sustainability of the organization. For senior management, this means that the institution can operate in a more financially solid manner and with more stable profitability.
Finally, it is also worth highlighting that JCI certification increases an institution's attractiveness to investors and strategic partners, as it demonstrates a commitment to responsible and sustainable management.

Dr Luís Fernandes
Quality Control Manager
Grupo HPA Saúde

QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Although everyone is important and collaborates in a demanding certification process, such as that of JCI, it is necessary for someone to conduct the “orchestra in a tuned and melodious way”, and this challenging and complex task is usually the responsibility of the Quality Department.
Luís Fernandes, its director, highlights a fundamental aspect of this process, which began almost 10 years ago: the knowledge and fulfilment of the 6 international goals of JCI by all employees, as they express the DNA of a culture of quality, safety, and excellence.
When everyone in the organization is aware of these goals, implementing protocols and best practices becomes more fluid. This ensures that every department and professional has the same level of understanding and commitment to global quality expectations.
For example, if all professionals, from the front desk to the clinical teams, are aware of the JCI goals, everyone can consistently apply best practices, such as verifying patient identity, performing surgical safety checklists, or adopting safety protocols for hygiene and infection prevention.
This leads to greater awareness and shared responsibility for continuous process improvement, which results, for example, in fewer clinical errors, lower infection rates, and greater patient satisfaction.
On the other hand, knowledge of JCI's goals helps to motivate and involve professionals, as they understand that their actions directly impact the quality of care and the organization's overall results.
Last but not least, patients benefit from more coordinated, efficient, and safe care.
Implementing JCI goals improves the quality of care and, as a consequence, the patient experience, through actions that ensure a more humanized and efficient performance, such as reducing waiting times or providing clear information about treatments and care.

Dr. César Santos
Director of HPA Gambelas
Administrator of the HPA Health Group
Grupo HPA Saúde

HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT

JCI certification is an important recognition in the field of hospital management, especially for healthcare institutions seeking to demonstrate their commitment to quality, patient safety, and best care practices.
For the management of the unit, improvements in the quality of care and the increase in patient confidence stand out.
Obtaining JCI certification demonstrates that the hospital meets international standards and is committed to excellence. This can increase the confidence of patients, who tend to look for certified institutions, believing that they will receive high-quality care with a high level of safety.
In an increasingly globalized world, JCI certification ensures that the Hospital meets these international standards, which can be essential to maintain competitiveness in the healthcare market. Many international patients and healthcare professionals prefer JCI-certified services, which can facilitate partnerships and attract medical tourists.
On the other hand, JCI evaluates not only the clinical part but also the administrative management and infrastructure. This means that certification can lead to improvements in resource management, optimization of administrative processes, and operational efficiency, resulting in better financial and operational results for the hospital.
Two other important aspects from the perspective of hospital management are increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Implementing JCI standards often results in improved operational efficiency and reduced waste. Better structured processes and the adoption of good practices can lead to a lower rate of rework and better use of resources, contributing to the economic sustainability of the unit.
Finally, the training and appreciation of teams also deserve to be highlighted. The procedures inherent to obtaining certification help to improve team performance but also contribute to the appreciation of professionals, creating a more satisfactory work environment with lower employee turnover.

Dr. Paulo Vieira de Sousa
Medical Director of HPA Gambelas
Chairman of the Medical Council of the HPA Health Group
Grupo HPA Saúde

CLINICAL MANAGEMENT

In the area of medical care, specifically in relation to surgical and anaesthetic procedures, Dr. Paulo Vieira de Sousa, the Clinical Director of HPA Gambelas, highlights the following benefits of JCI accreditation.
JCI has a significant impact on improving standards related to surgery and anaesthesia by establishing rigorous global criteria to ensure patient safety in these critical processes. JCI focuses on standardizing practices that lead to risk reduction and implementing protocols based on the best scientific evidence, resulting in greater efficiency, reduced errors, and improved clinical outcomes.
For example, compliance with the World Health Organization's surgical safety checklist is crucial, as it includes essential actions to reduce risks during surgery such as verifying patient identification, confirming the procedure and surgical site, checking medications administered, and using prophylactic antibiotics when necessary.
In the field of anaesthesiology, which is critical for patient safety during surgical procedures, pre, peri, and post-anaesthetic evaluations are emphasized by JCI with strict guidelines.
JCI plays a vital role in improving surgical and anaesthetic standards by establishing process standardization, providing ongoing team training, continuous monitoring, and implementing safety protocols. With each accreditation received, HPA Gambelas becomes safer, more efficient, and more robust, leading to a reduction in errors and providing the best experience and clinical outcomes for patients.

Enf.º Paulo Silva
Nursing Coordinator of the HPA Gambelas
President of the Nursing Council of the HPA Health Group
Grupo HPA Saúde

NURSING DIRECTORATE

Regarding the advantages that JCI re-accreditation offers to nursing teams, Paulo Silva, Director of Nursing at Grupo HPA Saúde, highlights that they are fundamentally organized into three areas:
ADVANTAGES FOR PATIENTS
By truly placing the patient at the centre of care, with the permanent encouragement of multidisciplinary coordination, based on effective communication and transfer of information, and the assumption of and commitment to high standards of quality and good practices, there is a real contribution to a significant improvement in the care provided, as well as to an increase in patient safety.
The aforementioned assumptions increase patient trust and loyalty, expressed through high levels of satisfaction.
ADVANTAGES FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT
When the best practices recommended by accreditation are followed, there is an improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of management as a whole, as well as in patient care itself, reducing errors, waste and duplicated work.
In each re-accreditation event, the entire normative framework applicable to nursing is subject to review, allowing the best scientific evidence to be incorporated into it. This review is essential for a reflective practice, based on a process of promoting continuous quality improvement. Added to this is a robust ongoing internal audit process, capable of recognizing deviations, encouraging the training of professionals and the implementation of measures that generate change.
Subjugation to international scrutiny of this nature leads us to enter a sphere of competition with the best in the world. This challenge catapults us into a more competitive mindset, wanting to reach higher levels of performance.
By guiding our activity in accordance with national regulations, strengthening it with the best in the world, we are able to provide care based on good practices, reducing the risk of legal action due to negligence or bad practice.
A critical analysis of the organization's physical facilities, equipment, information systems and technology to ensure that they meet efficiency and safety requirements also promotes constant innovation.
ADVANTAGES FOR PROFESSIONALS
Those who work in accredited organizations grow in a permanent stimulus for professional development, which is motivating and has a positive effect on job satisfaction.
The ongoing challenges of keeping up with accreditation demands boost professionals’ qualifications, thus promoting an improvement in professional performance.

Dr. Joana Griff
Director of Human Resources Department
Grupo HPA Saúde

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORATE

JCI plays a key role in improving human resource (HR) management by establishing standards and best practices to ensure that different teams are well -trained, competent, and appropriately organized to provide high-quality patient care.
These were some processes and procedures in which we improved our performance by leveraging certification.
Training, Continuing Education, and Professional Development: We continually implement continuing education programs for all professionals, including regular training on new technologies, evidence-based practices, and updates on safety and quality protocols.
Performance Assessment and Competency Monitoring: These assessments can be carried out through self-assessments, peer feedback, and formal assessments by management, with the ultimate goal of continuous improvement, especially in critical areas such as intensive care and specialized treatments.
Teamwork and Collaboration: We encourage the formation of interdisciplinary teams to provide integrated, patient-centred care, as teamwork promotes better communication, coordinating care more effectively, and allowing different perspectives and expertise to be shared for a more holistic approach.
Promoting Employee Health and Well-Being: JCI reinforces the importance of a healthy work environment so that professionals can provide high-quality care.
Human resource management has the function of ensuring that employees work in a safe, healthy, and motivating environment.
By following JCI guidelines, we can ensure that our healthcare teams are well -prepared, motivated, and in the best position to provide high-quality, safe care to patients.

Eng.º José Ribeiro
Infrastructure Department
Grupo HPA Saúde

Eng.ª Marta Santos
Infrastructure Department
Grupo HPA Saúde

Engº Guilherme Cardoso
Infrastructure Department
Grupo HPA Saúde

INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENT

JCI accreditation does not end with improving clinical care, and the focus on safety includes not only the safety of patients and staff but also the safety of infrastructure and equipment. In these areas, engineers José Ribeiro and Marta Santos from the Infrastructure and Equipment Department provide the following clarifications.
JCI plays a crucial role in improving the management of hospital infrastructure, ensuring that its physical and operational environments are safe, effective, accessible, and conducive to the delivery of quality care.
As such, JCI provides rigorous guidelines and standards for infrastructure management, focusing on safety, comfort, and accessibility, as well as ensuring that facilities comply with international best practices.
For example, preventive maintenance has an important meaning as it ensures that all infrastructure systems (electrical systems, hydraulic systems, ventilation and air conditioning systems, among others) function properly and without risks. This includes periodic audits and inspections to identify and correct problems before they become dangerous.
Another aspect that deserves to be highlighted is environmental risk management, whose operationalization translates into the evaluation and reduction of risks related to the physical environment, such as fire safety, ventilation conditions and air quality, adequate lighting, and the safety of medical equipment.
Finally, we also highlight the efficient management of resources within the hospital infrastructure, such as the appropriate use of energy, water, and other resources essential for the continuous operation of the hospital. This not only improves the sustainability of the organization but also reduces operating costs and contributes to environmental preservation.
In this way, we have implemented efficient energy management, such as the use of low-energy consumption technologies, the optimization of lighting and air conditioning, and the reduction of energy waste. Installing LED lighting systems, solar panels, and solar water heating systems are some of these practices.