Georgia National Accreditation Pathway
ASF’s first country-level National Accreditation Pathway, established in Tbilisi in partnership with the Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG). The Georgia Pathway creates a nationally embedded accreditation infrastructure — with Georgian governance, Georgian surveyors, and training delivered in Georgian and Russian — while maintaining full alignment with ASF international standards and methodology.
The National Accreditation Pathway Model
ASF’s National Accreditation Pathway (NAP) model was developed in response to a clear gap in the global accreditation landscape: many countries have strong aspirations for healthcare quality improvement, but lack the institutional infrastructure to support a sustainable, nationally owned accreditation programme. Engaging a large international accreditation body is expensive, often conducted in a foreign language, and rarely builds lasting local capacity.
The NAP model provides a third option: a country-level accreditation pathway that is fully governed by in-country institutions, delivered in national languages, and staffed by trained national surveyors — but that operates under ASF standards, methodology, and quality assurance, ensuring international credibility and rigour.
Georgia was selected as the inaugural NAP country based on the strength of PHIG’s existing public health infrastructure, the commitment of Georgian health system leadership to quality improvement, and the presence of an established Georgian healthcare quality professional community.
Healthcare facilities accredited through the Georgia NAP are assessed against the full ASF standards set, using ASF-approved methodology and trained, credentialled ASF Surveyors who are Georgian nationals. Accreditation decisions are made by the independent Georgia National Accreditation Council (NAC-Georgia), not by any government body or facility management. Accredited status is recognised by ASF internationally and by PHIG domestically.
The National Accreditation Council — Georgia (NAC-Georgia)
Accreditation decisions under the Georgia Pathway are made by the National Accreditation Council — Georgia (NAC-Georgia), a seven-member independent body hosted within PHIG’s governance structure. The Council is designed to ensure that accreditation decisions are made free from conflicts of interest, political influence, and commercial pressure.
| Role | Member Background | Appointment Term |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Senior public health professional or health system leader with accreditation experience; appointed by PHIG Director on ASF recommendation | 3 years, renewable once |
| Clinical Member × 2 | Practising clinicians (physician or senior nurse) from Georgian healthcare facilities not currently under assessment; appointed by NAC-Georgia on PHIG nomination | 3 years, staggered renewal |
| Quality Management Member | Healthcare quality professional or hospital manager; independent of any facility under current assessment | 3 years, renewable once |
| Academic / Research Member | Academic or researcher in public health, health systems, or healthcare quality; from a Georgian university or research institution | 3 years, renewable once |
| Patient & Community Representative | Patient advocate or community health representative; nominated through Georgian civil society networks | 3 years, renewable once |
| ASF Observer | Non-voting member; ASF-designated surveyor or standards specialist; ensures methodological alignment | Ongoing; replaced at ASF discretion |
- No NAC-Georgia member may participate in the accreditation decision of any facility where they have worked within the past five years or where they have a financial interest
- The patient and community representative is explicitly barred from any affiliation with private healthcare providers
- All members sign an annual declaration of interest; undisclosed conflicts result in automatic disqualification
- Accreditation decisions require a simple majority of voting members; the ASF Observer cannot vote on accreditation outcomes
- Facilities may appeal accreditation decisions to a separate three-member ASF Appeal Panel, constituted independently of NAC-Georgia
Accreditation Process — Georgia Pathway
The Georgia Pathway accreditation process follows the standard ASF seven-stage cycle, adapted for Georgian regulatory context and delivered with Georgian-language documentation and survey communication.
Application & Eligibility Check
Facilities submit a completed application to PHIG/NAC-Georgia Secretariat. Eligibility confirmation covers: facility type (hospital, clinic, or ambulatory care centre), minimum operational period (12 months), and absence of outstanding regulatory sanctions. PHIG confirms eligibility within 15 working days.
Standards Orientation & Self-Assessment Support
Eligible facilities receive ASF standards set in Georgian and Russian, access to the ASF Self-Assessment Tool (online, via GMJ Academy), and an orientation webinar from PHIG quality advisors. The self-assessment period is 12 weeks from orientation. PHIG provides one supported self-assessment review session at the midpoint.
Self-Assessment Submission & Survey Scheduling
The completed self-assessment is submitted to NAC-Georgia Secretariat, which reviews it for completeness and assigns a survey date. Survey dates are confirmed at least 8 weeks in advance. The survey team (lead surveyor + minimum one additional surveyor) is assigned from the Georgia NAP Surveyor Pool, matched for clinical background and without prior relationship to the facility.
On-Site Survey
A five-day on-site survey conducted by the assigned ASF Georgia NAP survey team. All survey activities — opening conference, interviews, document review, facility walk, team debrief, and closing conference — are conducted in Georgian or Russian as appropriate. The survey team submits a draft survey report in Georgian to NAC-Georgia Secretariat within 15 working days of survey completion.
Facility Review & Response
The facility receives the draft survey report and has 15 working days to submit a formal factual correction response (factual corrections only — the response period is not an opportunity to dispute scoring). NAC-Georgia Secretariat reviews responses and refers any disputed factual matters to the survey lead for clarification.
NAC-Georgia Decision
The final survey report is presented to NAC-Georgia at a scheduled decision meeting. The Council makes one of four decisions: Full Accreditation (3 years), Provisional Accreditation with Conditions (12 months, subject to corrective action verification), Deferred Decision (facility requires further survey in one specific area before decision), or Accreditation Not Awarded. The decision is communicated to the facility in writing within five working days.
Post-Decision Follow-Up & Surveillance
Accredited facilities receive an accreditation certificate and are listed on the Georgia NAP public accreditation register (maintained by PHIG). Conditionally accredited facilities submit a corrective action plan and evidence of implementation within the specified timeframe for NAC-Georgia verification. Mid-cycle surveillance visits are conducted at 18 months for all accredited facilities. Full re-accreditation surveys are due before the end of the 3-year accreditation period.
Georgian Surveyor Training
The Georgia NAP has its own annual Georgian-language surveyor training cohort, delivered at PHIG facilities in Tbilisi each autumn. The training follows the full ASF Surveyor pathway (SRV-01 to SRV-03) with all materials, assessments, and examinations available in Georgian and Russian. Candidates trained through the Georgia NAP cohort are credentialled as full ASF Surveyors and are eligible to participate in surveys both in Georgia and internationally.
Georgia NAP Surveyor Training Dates
- SRV-01 Online module: open year-round through GMJ Academy (Georgian/Russian)
- SRV-02 Classroom cohort: Tbilisi, September–October annually
- SRV-03 Internship placements: coordinated with Georgian survey calendar
- Certification examinations: spring and autumn sessions
Georgia NAP Survey Pool
- All Georgia NAP surveyors are ASF-certified and on the ASF Active Surveyor Register
- Survey pool currently includes clinicians from hospitals, primary care, and public health backgrounds
- Survey pool operated in partnership with PHIG; PHIG coordinates survey assignments and logistics in-country
- Surveyors practising outside Georgia may be assigned to Georgia NAP surveys subject to availability
Accreditation for Georgian Healthcare Facilities
Georgian healthcare facilities wishing to pursue accreditation through the Georgia NAP may apply at any time. The application process is managed by the PHIG/NAC-Georgia Secretariat. All application materials, standards documents, and self-assessment tools are available in Georgian. The process from application to accreditation decision typically takes 10–14 months, depending on the facility’s self-assessment readiness and survey scheduling availability.
Paris, France
For international enquiries, surveyor training applications, and standards questions:
training@france-asf.fr
contact@france-asf.fr
Tbilisi, Georgia
For facility accreditation applications and Georgia-based surveyor training enquiries:
Contact PHIG through the official PHIG website or the NAC-Georgia Secretariat
(contact details available from ASF on request)