How to Choose a Hospital in India: JCI and NABH Accreditation Explained
What JCI and NABH accreditation mean, how to check a hospital's status yourself, and the questions to ask before choosing a hospital and specialist in India.
When choosing a hospital in India, start with accreditation, then look at the specialist, the facilities for your treatment and how aftercare will work. The two names you will see most often are JCI (Joint Commission International) and NABH (the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers). Both assess hospitals against published standards for quality and patient safety, and both let you check a hospital's status yourself online.
This guide explains what each accreditation means, how to verify it, and what else to consider before you decide.
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is an independent check that a healthcare organisation meets a defined set of standards. Rather than relying on a hospital's own description of itself, you can look for an outside body that has assessed it. For international patients, who often cannot visit a hospital before treatment, that independent view is especially valuable.
JCI: Joint Commission International
JCI is the international arm of the Joint Commission. It describes its accreditation as an objective evaluation of whether an organisation complies with performance standards designed to improve quality and safety.
How JCI accreditation is awarded
According to JCI, accreditation is awarded after an on-site survey, carried out by a specially trained JCI surveyor or team of surveyors who assess the organisation's compliance with its standards. JCI accredits many types of healthcare organisation, including hospitals, academic medical centres, laboratories and ambulatory care organisations.
How to check JCI status
JCI publishes a searchable list of accredited international organisations on its website. You can filter it by country to see which Indian organisations currently hold accreditation. JCI's former address, jointcommissioninternational.org, now redirects to jointcommission.org.
NABH: India's national accreditation board
NABH stands for the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers. According to NABH, it was established in 2005 and is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI). It describes itself as India's apex authority for developing and implementing standards on healthcare quality and patient safety.
International recognition
NABH states that it is a full member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), which it describes as the global authority that accredits accrediting bodies. In other words, NABH's own processes have been reviewed against international benchmarks.
What NABH covers
NABH runs more than 30 accreditation and certification programmes, covering large multi-speciality hospitals as well as smaller healthcare organisations, laboratories, blood banks, eye care centres, emergency departments and more. Its standards focus on patient safety and quality of care.
How to check NABH status
NABH's website has a "Find an Accredited Healthcare Organisation" search. Use it to confirm that the specific hospital, and the specific site, you are considering is currently accredited.
JCI or NABH: which matters more?
They are different bodies with different scopes. JCI is an international accreditor used by organisations in many countries; NABH is India's national board, recognised internationally through ISQua. Some hospitals hold one, some hold both. Rather than treating one as better than the other, use them together: each is a sign that a hospital has been independently assessed. Always check the current status yourself, because accreditation applies to a particular organisation at a particular time.
Beyond accreditation: what else to check
Accreditation tells you about the hospital as a whole. Your experience also depends on the specialist and team treating you. The NHS treatment abroad checklist suggests asking:
- Have you checked the qualifications of the medical team treating you?
- Have you been able to ask them questions about your treatment?
- Are you satisfied with the facilities and standards where you will be treated?
- Do you understand the possible complications and side effects?
- Are you clear about how your aftercare will be coordinated?
The same checklist warns about pressure to make a quick decision, a hard sell, a lack of information, and no mention of complications or aftercare.
Match the hospital to your treatment
Some hospitals are known for particular specialities. A dedicated heart institute, a women's hospital or a large multi-speciality centre may each suit different needs. Look at the specialists, the departments and the treatments listed for each hospital, and ask how many similar cases the team treats.
Medwell's partner hospitals in Delhi NCR
Medwell works with accredited partner hospitals across Delhi NCR:
- Paras Health, Gurugram
- Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram
- Artemis Hospital, Gurugram
- BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi
- Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi
- Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj
- Fortis La Femme, Greater Kailash II
- Fortis Hospital, Noida
We encourage you to check each hospital's current accreditation on the JCI and NABH websites. We help you compare hospitals and specialists for your treatment, book your consultation, and arrange an interpreter if you would like one. Share your reports for a free, no-obligation personalised quote within 24 hours.
Sources
- Joint Commission International: Accreditation
- Joint Commission International: Find accredited international organisations
- Joint Commission International (jointcommissioninternational.org, now redirects to jointcommission.org)
- NABH: About FAQs
- NABH: Who we are
- NABH: Find an accredited healthcare organisation
- NHS: Treatment abroad checklist
