How It Works — Step by Step
Eight steps from first self-assessment to accreditation certificate. The same journey for every facility type in every country.
The one-sentence version: You assess yourself honestly against published criteria, a certified Monitor independently checks that you were honest, an ASF supervisor confirms both, and an independent committee makes the decision. Everything is evidence-based, everything is documented, and everything is in your own language.
The Eight Steps
| Step | Activity | Who | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free self-assessment — full tool, full gap report, no account | Anyone at facility | Days |
| 2 | Register facility — name all four roles, validate credentials, pay annual fee | Director + Coordinator | 1 day |
| 3 | Director signs Delegation of Authority — full legal accountability | Director | 1 day |
| 4 | Submit Q1 + Improvement Plan — evidence declaration on every YES | Coordinator + Director | 1 week |
| 5 | Quarterly evidence cycle ×4/year, plus an annual Monitor virtual milestone review | Coordinator + Monitor | Years 1–3 |
| 6 | Full in-facility verification & renewal visit — 1–3 days on-site, provisional decision same day | Monitor + ASF Supervisor | End of Year 3 |
| 7 | ADC decision — independent committee reviews full evidence package | ADC | 15 working days |
| 8 | Certificate issued — gold badge, global registry, QR verification | ASF | 3 working days |
Full Timeline
| Period | Milestone | Coordinator effort |
|---|---|---|
| Month 0 | Free self-assessment. Gap report received. Preparation begins. | 1–3 hours |
| Month 1 | Registration. Roles named. Q1 submitted. Improvement Plan filed. | 8–12 hours |
| Year 1 | Quarterly cycle (Q1–Q4) runs its first full year. Annual virtual milestone review with the Monitor near year-end. | ~2–4 hours/quarter + 2–3 hours milestone |
| Year 2 | Quarterly cycle continues. Second annual virtual milestone review. | ~2–4 hours/quarter + 2–3 hours milestone |
| Year 3 | Quarterly cycle continues. Full in-facility verification (1–3 days) and the renewal visit at year-end. | ~2–4 hours/quarter + Monitor & supervisor visit days |
| End of Year 3 | ADC decision. Certificate issued. | None — ASF handles |
Total Coordinator effort across 12 months: approximately 25–35 hours. This is the burden ASF was designed around — a quality improvement role that fits alongside clinical or administrative duties, not a full-time compliance position.
What Makes This Different
The supervisor confirms — not discovers
By the time the ASF supervisor arrives at the 3-year renewal, three years of quarterly evidence and the annual virtual milestone reviews already exist. The visit day is short because the work is already done.
Every YES needs evidence
The tool will not accept a YES without a specific evidence declaration. This turns a checkbox into a verifiable record.
Named professionals, real accountability
Director, Responsible Person, Coordinator, Monitor — every declaration is signed by a credentialed individual who can lose that credential.
Independent decision
The ADC has an external majority and its chair is elected by its members. ASF operations recommends; the ADC decides.
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