NABH and RSSDI collaborate to improve quality of diabetes care in India

New Delhi: In a move towards enhancing diabetes care in India, the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), a part of the Quality Council of India, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI).

The collaboration is set to elevate the quality of diabetes care in the country by combining NABH’s expertise in healthcare accreditation with RSSDI’s knowledge of clinical guidelines and research for diabetes management, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. The disease is a growing concern in India, with over 250 million people affected.

The new partnership is designed to address the increasing prevalence of diabetes and improve patient outcomes through better management practices, education, and standardised treatment protocols. Robust clinical and digital health standards will be developed to help streamline diabetes care across India’s healthcare system, it said.

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RSSDI, with over 12,000 members, is India’s largest professional body for diabetes care providers. It plays a pivotal role in creating guidelines for diabetes treatment and research. RSSDI will help develop new accreditation standards specifically for diabetes care clinics and ensure that the latest evidence-based clinical practices are followed.

NABH, a body known for its work in setting and maintaining healthcare standards, will enhance its accreditation standards for allopathic clinics, specifically for diabetes care to ensure they maintain high-quality care, from patient education to the treatment process, and adopt the latest technologies for more effective management of the condition.

Standardised care

The focus will also be on the integration of digital health solutions. NABH and RSSDI will collaborate to develop digital health standards for clinic management systems, enabling diabetes clinics to improve patient care through technology. These systems will ensure better management of patient data, tracking of treatment plans, and continuous monitoring of health outcomes, all of which are crucial for effective diabetes management, the ministry said.

“Diabetes impacts over 250 million people in India and better management of diabetes is critical for the overall healthcare ecosystem. NABH can play a key role in driving standardised care and evidence-based guidelines for diabetes management,” Rizwan Koita, chairperson of NABH, said at the signing ceremony.

RSSDI will promote the certification of NABH’s Allopathic Clinic Accreditation Standards across its extensive network of diabetes care professionals. It will ensure that more clinics adopt the new accreditation standards, leading to better, more standardised care for diabetes patients.

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The partnership is expected to reduce morbidity and complications associated with diabetes by promoting best practices and evidence-based treatment protocols.

“This partnership reflects NABH’s commitment to developing specialised care standards across the healthcare spectrum and enhancing the focus on quality across India," Quality Council of India chairperson Jaxay Shah said, highlighting the significance of the collaboration in aligning with QCI’s broader vision to improve healthcare quality at the grassroots level.