References

Resources › References

External sources and ASF Expert Committee consensus behind the standards. Each document page lists the references it uses.

• World Health Organization (2009). WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. Geneva: WHO. Open source (E-001)
• World Health Organization (2016). Guidelines on Core Components of Infection Prevention and Control Programmes at the National and Acute Health Care Facility Level. Geneva: WHO. Open source (E-002)
• ASF Expert Committee (2026). Expert consensus. No external reference identified. (E-003)
• ASF Expert Committee (2026). Expert consensus. No external reference identified. (E-004)
• ASF Expert Committee (2026). Expert consensus on waste segregation and bin lining. (E-005)
• Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Policy Framework v1.2. (E-006)
• World Health Organization (2007). Nine patient safety solutions, including correct patient identification. Geneva: WHO. Open source (E-007)
• World Health Organization (2007). WHO Global Report on Falls Prevention in Older Age. Geneva: WHO. Open source (E-008)
• Accréditation Sans Frontières (2026). ASF Expert Committee consensus on Standard 1. (E-009)
• World Health Organization (2021). Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health: WHO guidance. Geneva: WHO. Open source (E-011)

Sources cited in the standards

Sources cited against individual criteria in the standards, including those for Standards 26 to 30.

• Aiken, L.H., Sloane, D.M., Griffiths, P., et al. (2014). Patient safety, satisfaction, and quality of hospital care: cross sectional surveys of nurses and patients in 12 countries in Europe and the United States. BMJ, 348, g3825. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g3825
• American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 11th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2021.
• American Dental Association. Guidelines for the Use of Sedation and General Anesthesia by Dentists. Chicago: ADA; 2016.
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (2020). Standards for Basic Anesthetic Monitoring. Schaumburg, IL: ASA.
• Ardern CL, et al. 2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(14):853-864.
• Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation. Official Journal of the European Union, L 13, 17 January 2014.
• Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences. International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research Involving Humans. Geneva: CIOMS; 2016.
• Council of Europe (current edition). Guide to the Preparation, Use and Quality Assurance of Blood Components. Strasbourg: EDQM.
• Dowell, D., Ragan, K.R., Jones, C.M., Baldwin, G.T., Chou, R. (2022). CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, United States, 2022. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, 71(No. RR-3), 1–95. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7103a1
• ESHRE good practice recommendations on add-ons in reproductive medicine (2023). Human Reproduction Open.
• European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance (2019). Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline (International edition). Emily Haesler (ed.). Cambridge Media.
• European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Guidelines for good practice in IVF laboratories. Human Reproduction. 2015.
• Evans, L. et al. (2021). Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2021. Critical Care Medicine. https://sccm.org/sepsisguidelines
• Facility Guidelines Institute and American Society for Health Care Engineering (2022). Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals, 2022 edition. Chicago: FGI.
• Ferreira-Valente, M.A., Pais-Ribeiro, J.L., Jensen, M.P. (2011). Validity of four pain intensity rating scales. Pain, 152(10), 2399–2404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2011.07.005
• Gabbett TJ. The training-injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training smarter and harder? Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(5):273-280.
• Haggerty, J.L., Reid, R.J., Freeman, G.K., Starfield, B.H., Adair, C.E., McKendry, R. (2003). Continuity of care: a multidisciplinary review. BMJ, 327(7425), 1219–1221. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.327.7425.1219
• Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Code of Practice. London: HFEA.
• Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). List of Confused Drug Names. Horsham, PA: ISMP.
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2019). Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Geneva: IASC.
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). Guidelines for Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings. Geneva: IASC; 2015.
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings. Geneva: IASC; 2007.
• International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). Medical Priority Dispatch System protocols. Salt Lake City: IAED.
• International Atomic Energy Agency. Radiation Protection and Safety in Medical Uses of Ionizing Radiation. Specific Safety Guide SSG-46. Vienna: IAEA; 2018.
• International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH). International Code of Ethics for Occupational Health Professionals, 3rd edition. 2014.
• International Commission on Radiological Protection. The 2007 Recommendations of the ICRP. ICRP Publication 103. Ann ICRP. 2007;37(2-4).
• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals. ICMJE; updated periodically.
• International Labour Organization (2019). Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190). Geneva: ILO. https://www.ilo.org/resource/news/first-international-treaty-address-violence-and-harassment-comes-force-0
• International Labour Organization. Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189). Geneva: ILO; 2011.
• International Labour Organization. ILO Convention No. 161 concerning Occupational Health Services. Geneva: ILO; 1985.
• International Labour Organization. Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190). Geneva: ILO; 2019.
• International Organization for Standardization (2016). Requirements for regulatory purposes. https://www.iso.org/standard/59752.html
• International Organization for Standardization (2018). https://www.iso.org/standard/65694.html
• International Organization for Standardization (2021). https://committee.iso.org/sites/tc260/home/news/content-left-area/news-and-updates/iso-304152021-hr-management–d-1.html
• International Organization for Standardization (2022). https://www.iso.org/standard/76677.html
• International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission (2023). https://www.iso.org/standard/42001
• International Organization for Standardization. Part 1: Requirements for materials, sterile barrier systems and packaging systems. 2019.
• International Organization for Standardization. 2015.
• International Organization for Standardization. Part 1: Requirements for the development, validation and routine control of a sterilization process for medical devices. 2006.
• International Organization for Standardization. 2019.
• International Organization for Standardization. 2018.
• International Organization for Standardization. 2018.
• International Organization for Standardization. 2015.
• International Organization for Standardization. 2015.
• Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for Hemodialysis Adequacy, 2015 Update. Am J Kidney Dis. 2015;66(5):884-930.
• Knaul FM, et al. Alleviating the access abyss in palliative care and pain relief: an imperative of universal health coverage. Lancet Commission. Lancet. 2017.
• Kohn WG, Collins AS, Cleveland JL, et al. Guidelines for infection control in dental health-care settings, 2003. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2003;52(RR-17):1-61.
• Lok CE, et al. KDOQI Clinical Practice Guideline for Vascular Access: 2019 Update. Am J Kidney Dis. 2020;75(4 Suppl 2):S1-S164.
• Malamed SF. Handbook of Local Anesthesia. 7th ed. St Louis: Elsevier; 2019.
• Maron BJ, et al. Eligibility and disqualification recommendations for competitive athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities. Circulation. 2015;132(22):e273-e280.
• McCrory P, et al. Consensus statement on concussion in sport: the 6th international conference on concussion in sport, Amsterdam 2022. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(11):695-711.
• National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care. Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition. Pittsburgh: NCP; 2018.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2018). Venous thromboembolism in over 16s: reducing the risk of hospital-acquired deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism (NICE guideline NG89). London: NICE. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng89
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). End of life care for adults. NG31. London: NICE; 2016.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. CG156. London: NICE; 2013, updated 2017.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Venous thromboembolic diseases: diagnosis, management and thrombophilia testing. NG158. London: NICE; 2020.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH Alert: Preventing Occupational Exposures to Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Health Care Settings. Publication No. 2016-161. Cincinnati, OH: NIOSH; 2016.
• Panchal AR, et al. Part 3: Adult Basic and Advanced Life Support: 2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. Circulation. 2020;142(16 Suppl 2):S366-S468.
• Racinais S, et al. Consensus recommendations on training and competing in the heat. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(18):1164-1173.
• Royal College of Physicians (2017). National Early Warning Score (NEWS) 2: Standardising the assessment of acute-illness severity in the NHS. London: RCP. https://www.rcp.ac.uk/resources/national-early-warning-score-news-2/
• Sphere Association. The Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Geneva: Sphere; 2018.
• Starfield, B. (1998). Primary Care: Balancing Health Needs, Services and Technology. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Taplitz RA, Kennedy EB, Bow EJ, et al. Outpatient management of fever and neutropenia in adults treated for malignancy: American Society of Clinical Oncology and Infectious Diseases Society of America clinical practice guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2018;36(14):1443-1453.
• United Nations Environment Programme. Minamata Convention on Mercury. Geneva: UNEP; 2013 (dental amalgam provisions, Article 4 and Annex A).
• United Nations. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York: UN; 2006.
• United Nations. Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: UN; 1989.
• United States Access Board (2010). ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.
• Volkert, D., Beck, A.M., Cederholm, T., et al. (2019). ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics. Clinical Nutrition, 38(1), 10–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2018.05.024
• World Allergy Organization. Anaphylaxis Guidance 2020. Cardona V, et al. World Allergy Organization Journal. 2020.
• World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code and International Standard for Prohibited List. Montreal: WADA; updated annually.
• World Confederation for Physical Therapy. Description of physical therapy. Amsterdam: WCPT; 2019.
• World Health Organization (2006). Five Keys to Safer Food Manual. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2007). Nine patient safety solutions, including communication during patient handovers and correct patient identification. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-05-2007-who-launches-nine-patient-safety-solutions
• World Health Organization (2007). WHO Global Report on Falls Prevention in Older Age. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2008). Safe Surgery Saves Lives: WHO Guidelines for Safe Surgery. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2009). Guidelines for the psychosocially assisted pharmacological treatment of opioid dependence. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2009). The Conceptual Framework for the International Classification for Patient Safety. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/the-conceptual-framework-for-the-international-classification-for-patient-safety-(icps)
• World Health Organization (2009). WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and Implementation Manual. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2010). Screening Donated Blood for Transfusion-Transmissible Infections: Recommendations. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2010). Towards 100% Voluntary Blood Donation: A Global Framework for Action. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2011). Guidelines for drinking-water quality, fourth edition. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548151
• World Health Organization (2011). Medical equipment maintenance programme overview. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241501538
• World Health Organization (2011). Patient Safety Curriculum Guide: Multi-professional Edition. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2013). WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2014–2023. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2014). High 5s Project: Standard Operating Protocol, Medication Reconciliation. Geneva: WHO Patient Safety.
• World Health Organization (2014). Safe management of wastes from health-care activities, second edition. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789241548564
• World Health Organization (2016). Decontamination and reprocessing of medical devices for health-care facilities. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549851
• World Health Organization (2016). Emergency care systems for universal health coverage: ensuring timely care for the sick and injured. Report of the Director-General, A69/21. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2016). Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030. Geneva: WHO. https://who.int/publications/i/item/9789241511131
• World Health Organization (2016). Guidelines on Core Components of Infection Prevention and Control Programmes at the National and Acute Health Care Facility Level. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-on-core-components-of-infection-prevention-and-control-programmes-at-the-national-and-acute-health-care-facility-level
• World Health Organization (2016). Guidelines on Core Components of Infection Prevention and Control Programmes at the National and Acute Health Care Facility Level. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/guidelines-on-core-components-of-infection-prevention-and-control-programmes-at-the-national-and-acute-health-care-facility-level
• World Health Organization (2017). Hospital Safety Index: Guide for Evaluators, second edition. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548984
• World Health Organization (2017). The third global patient safety challenge: tackling medication-related harm (Medication Without Harm). Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/the-third-global-patient-safety-challenge-tackling-medication-related-harm
• World Health Organization (2018). Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, second edition. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2019). WHO guideline: recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening. Geneva: WHO. https://wkc.who.int/resources/publications/i/item/9789241550505
• World Health Organization (2020). Package of essential noncommunicable (PEN) disease interventions for primary health care in low-resource settings. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization (2021). Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health: WHO guidance. Geneva: WHO. https://who.int/publications/i/item/9789240029200
• World Health Organization (2021). Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030: Towards Eliminating Avoidable Harm in Health Care. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240032705
• World Health Organization (2021). Global strategy on digital health 2020–2025. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240020924
• World Health Organization (2023). Operational framework for building climate resilient and low carbon health systems. Geneva: WHO. https://who.int/publications/i/item/9789240081888
• World Health Organization and International Organization for Migration. Global Competency Standards for Refugee and Migrant Health. Geneva: WHO; latest edition.
• World Health Organization and UNICEF (2019). WASH in health care facilities: Practical steps to achieve universal access to quality care. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241515511
• World Health Organization and UNICEF. Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) chart booklet. Geneva: WHO; 2014.
• World Health Organization and UNICEF. World report on child injury prevention. Geneva: WHO; 2008.
• World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund (2018). Primary Health Care Measurement Framework and Indicators: Monitoring Health Systems through a Primary Health Care Lens. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization and World Bank (2011). World report on disability. Geneva: WHO. https://apo.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241564182
• World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (2020). Screening programmes: a short guide. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.
• World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Declaration on the Promotion of Patients’ Rights in Europe. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 1994.
• World Health Organization. Classification and minimum standards for emergency medical teams. Geneva: WHO; 2013.
• World Health Organization. Clinical management of rape survivors: developing protocols for use with refugees and internally displaced persons. Geneva: WHO; 2004.
• World Health Organization. Developing a national policy and guidelines on the clinical use of blood. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/developing-a-national-policy-and-guidelines-on-the-clinical-use-of-blood
• World Health Organization. Emergency triage assessment and treatment (ETAT) manual. Geneva: WHO; 2005.
• World Health Organization. Ensuring balance in national policies on controlled substances: guidance for governments. Geneva: WHO; 2011.
• World Health Organization. Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health: WHO guidance. Geneva: WHO; 2021.
• World Health Organization. Framework on integrated people-centred health services. Geneva: WHO; 2016.
• World Health Organization. Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025. Geneva: WHO; 2017.
• World Health Organization. Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection. Geneva: WHO; 2016.
• World Health Organization. Global Priority List of Assistive Products. Geneva: WHO; 2016.
• World Health Organization. Good storage and distribution practices for medicines, WHO Technical Report Series No. 957, Annex 5. Geneva: WHO; 2010.
• World Health Organization. Healthy workplaces: a model for action. Geneva: WHO; 2010.
• World Health Organization. Immunization Agenda 2030: a global strategy to leave no one behind. Geneva: WHO; 2020.
• World Health Organization. Integrated care for older people: guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity. Geneva: WHO; 2017.
• World Health Organization. Managing complications in pregnancy and childbirth: a guide for midwives and doctors, 2nd edition. Geneva: WHO; 2017.
• World Health Organization. Maternal death surveillance and response: technical guidance. Geneva: WHO; 2013.
• World Health Organization. Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 5th edition. Geneva: WHO; 2015.
• World Health Organization. Medication Without Harm: Global Patient Safety Challenge on Medication Safety. Geneva: WHO; 2017.
• World Health Organization. mhGAP intervention guide for mental, neurological and substance use disorders in non-specialized health settings, version 2.0. Geneva: WHO; 2019.
• World Health Organization. Operational framework for building climate resilient and low carbon health systems. Geneva: WHO; 2015.
• World Health Organization. Palliative care: fact sheet. Geneva: WHO; 2020.
• World Health Organization. Pocket book of hospital care for children: guidelines for the management of common childhood illnesses, 2nd edition. Geneva: WHO; 2013.
• World Health Organization. Recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening. Geneva: WHO; 2019.
• World Health Organization. Rehabilitation in health systems. Geneva: WHO; 2019.
• World Health Organization. Responding to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused: WHO clinical guidelines. Geneva: WHO; 2017.
• World Health Organization. Safe management of wastes from health-care activities, 2nd edition. Geneva: WHO; 2014.
• World Health Organization. Safe management of wastes from health-care activities. 2nd ed. Geneva: WHO; 2014.
• World Health Organization. Standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities. Geneva: WHO; 2016.
• World Health Organization. Substandard and falsified medical products. Fact sheet. Geneva: WHO.
• World Health Organization. Transforming and scaling up health professionals’ education and training. Geneva: WHO; 2013.
• World Health Organization. WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis: module 2, screening. Geneva: WHO; 2021.
• World Health Organization. WHO guideline on health policy and system support to optimize community health worker programmes. Geneva: WHO; 2018.
• World Health Organization. WHO guidelines for screening and treatment of precancerous lesions for cervical cancer prevention. Geneva: WHO; 2021.
• World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. Geneva: WHO; 2009.
• World Health Organization. WHO Guiding Principles on Human Cell, Tissue and Organ Transplantation. Geneva: WHO; 2010.
• World Health Organization. WHO recommendations for the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage. Geneva: WHO; 2012.
• World Health Organization. WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience. Geneva: WHO; 2016.
• World Health Organization. WHO recommendations on newborn health. Geneva: WHO; 2017.
• World Health Organization. WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and Safe Surgery Saves Lives. Geneva: WHO; 2009.
• World Health Organization. World report on hearing. Geneva: WHO; 2021.
• World Health Organization. World report on vision. Geneva: WHO; 2019.
• World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human participants. Ferney-Voltaire: WMA; latest revision.