Amman, Nov. 12 (Petra) -- The Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC) on Thursday launched the 11th cycle of its National Quality and Patient Safety Goals for 2026, with a stronger focus on protecting healthcare workers from occupational hazards, burnout and psychological stress.

The new cycle covers four categories: hospitals, primary healthcare centers, other healthcare facilities and diagnostic institutions. Each category has three goals, including a shared objective to improve healthcare workers' occupational safety and psychological well-being.

Health Minister Ibrahim Bdour launched the cycle on behalf of Her Royal Highness Princess Muna Al Hussein, the World Health Organization's Patron for Nursing and Midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and a global ambassador for the International Council of Nurses (ICN).

HCAC CEO Salma Jaouni said the initiative, introduced in 2009, provides healthcare institutions with a common framework to identify priorities, monitor progress and improve the quality and safety of care.

She said the 2026 goals aim to support the new quality and safety strategy by translating its objectives into practical improvements across healthcare institutions.

Jaouni noted that the initiative has expanded beyond hospitals to include primary healthcare centers, laboratories, dental services and prehospital care, reflecting a broader approach that recognizes the safety of healthcare workers as essential to patient safety.

She emphasized that the initiative's success should be measured not by awards or certificates but by improvements in institutional practices and their sustainability.

The ceremony featured a film highlighting projects implemented by institutions recognized in the previous cycle, including safer surgical procedures, postpartum maternal mental health services, improved access to early screening for women in remote areas, early detection of noncommunicable diseases, medical documentation, and medication safety.

Bdour also presented awards to healthcare institutions that won or participated in the previous cycle, including hospitals, primary healthcare centers and breast imaging units from the public, military, university and private sectors.

The awards comprised the Quality Harvest Award for improvement projects undertaken by HCAC-accredited institutions and the National Goals Award for institutions that implemented the goals without holding accreditation.

Jaouni said the initiative aligns with His Majesty King Abdullah II's emphasis in the Speech from the Throne on placing citizens' interests at the center of decision-making and ensuring that development delivers tangible improvements in their daily lives.

She also thanked the ceremony's sponsors for supporting HCAC's efforts to provide the program to healthcare institutions free of charge as part of its nonprofit mission.

//Petra// AJ