Quality & Accreditations

Joint Commission International (JCI) Accreditation

In 2005, the Zulekha Healthcare Group decided to embark on the journey of accreditation to provide quality and safe services to patients. Through the process of accreditation, we wanted to achieve the standardization of our processes and systems, strengthen patients' trust in the organization's concern for patient safety and the quality of care, provide a safe and efficient work environment, listen to patients and their families, respect their rights, involve them in the process of care as partners, and create a culture that is open to learning from the timely reporting of adverse events and safety concerns. Joint Commission International (JCI), which accredits the highest number of hospitals each year and was chosen by Dubai Health Authority (DHA), was our obvious choice. The strategy used was simple: we wanted to do it ourselves without the involvement of any consultants, build the culture of quality within the organization even if it takes time, and wait until we were ready. This is when we established a dedicated quality department involving a few clinicians in this process. We developed quality systems and successfully achieved JCI accreditation for our two hospitals in 2007 and reaccreditation in 2010, 2014 and 2017. In 2015, two of our newly added services in Sharjah, Chemotherapy and Dialysis, underwent the JCI extension survey and were successfully accredited. Zulekha Hospital Sharjah is the first hospital to be accredited by JCI in the Northern Emirates.

EFQM Excellence Model

We implemented the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model, which has 9 criteria: Leadership, Strategy, People, Partnerships & Resources, Processes, Products & Services, Customer Results, People Results, Society Results and Business Results. The Business Excellence Department of Dubai Economic Development awards organizations with the Dubai Quality Award, which has three levels of honors for successfully implementing the EFQM Excellence Model. Zulekha Hospital began its journey of implementing the Excellence Model as it provides a holistic approach to running the business. We received the Dubai Quality Appreciation Award (DQAP) and Dubai Quality Award (DQA) in 2007, 2011 and 2014 respectively. This helped us look at the organization holistically, measure and improve many of our processes, and improve not only patient satisfaction but also the satisfaction of all other stakeholders.

College of American Pathologists (CAP) Accreditation

Our laboratory services follow internationally recognized quality systems and external assessment programs. Accreditation by the College of American Pathologists reflects a commitment to reliable diagnostics, patient safety, and continuous improvement across laboratory operations.

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)

Giving Your Baby the Best Start in Life

At Zulekha Hospital Sharjah, we are proud to be a Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) accredited hospital, recognized for meeting international standards in supporting breastfeeding, mother-baby bonding, and family-centred newborn care. The BFHI was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF to help maternity facilities provide the highest quality care for mothers and babies.[unicef.org][who.int]