The Flemish government's Care Inspectorate started using an updated surveillance model for hospitals in 2013.
The government uses two different types of surveillance:
System surveillance
With system surveillance, the entire organisation is asked a single key question: 'Can the hospital – as an organisation – offer quality guarantees for the future?' Because such a hospital-wide questioning is equivalent to an accreditation audit, a hospital that is accredited is made exempt from the system surveillance by the government. To qualify for this exemption, the National MS Centre officially informed the Care Inspectorate at the end of 2012 that it was opting for an external investigation by an accredited organisation (JCI).
Compliance surveillance
Compliance surveillance is a very targeted and specific test of the care practice. For category hospitals, such as the National MS Centre, the care plan for the patient in rehabilitation is applicable. A specific set of requirements is developed prior to the investigation of this care plan. Once this set of requirements has been developed, the government will communicate this to the sector. Only then can the inspections start.
The quality report
The government's audit team draws up an evaluation report after an inspection. The governing body, and users and employees of the hospital, must be actively made aware of this report. The last evaluation report on the National MS Centre dates from 2009: Evaluation report 2009.
