This document discusses accreditation and credentialing systems within the healthcare system in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It defines accreditation as a process where a healthcare institution or program demonstrates compliance with official standards. In Kurdistan Region, governmental institutions approve healthcare organizations and educational programs, but they are not accredited by international organizations due to a lack of standardized systems. For individuals, graduation certificates are accepted as credentials to practice, but their abilities are not formally evaluated. The document recommends that Kurdistan Region's quality system progress to meet global standards, evaluate new graduates' abilities, renew practice licenses annually, and create an independent nursing accreditation council.

1. ACCREDITATION SYSYTEM
WITHIN HEALTHCARE
SYSYTEM /ERBIL
Hawler Medical University
By:
Raveen Ismael Abdullah
B.Sc in Nursing
Supervised By:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Hamdiya Mirkhan
2016_ 2017

2. Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1
Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 1
Accreditation of institution and programs in KRG..................................................................... 2
Credentials for individuals in KRG.............................................................................................. 2
Recommendation ...................................................................................................................... 3

3. 1
Introduction
Accreditation is a process that a health care institution, provider, or program undergoes to
demonstrate compliance with standards developed by an official agency. It reviews external quality
of an institution or individual for a specific capacity and provide written proof of qualifications and
whether standards have been met; there are two types of accreditation credentials for organizations
and credentials for individuals.
Physicians and healthcare providers have been undergoing a credentialing process dating back to
1000 BC in Persia. The purposes of accreditation are to assure patient that his/her health is in
good hands; it defines the qualification of health care providers and select a suitable person for
suitable position or suitable task.
Objectives
1. Define and discuss the concept of credentialing for health professionals and health
organizations.
2. Identifying the models of accreditation within Kurdistan region government.

4. 2
Accreditation of institution and programs in KRG
Governmental approval for institutions or organizations to work within Kurdistan region . While,
accreditation of educational institutions is done through Ministry of Higher education
.Unfortunately, health care system and educational institutions not been accredited by
international Nongovernmental organizations due to lack of implementing standardized systems.
Government approves nursing programs immediately after graduation without testing the abilities
of new graduated nurse; before nursing program is initiating, it must be approved by ministry of
higher education prior to admitting to students to assure prospective students that they will be
eligible to become licensed up on graduation.
Credentials for individuals in KRG
Individuals may hold multiple types of credentials through their career progression such as
Diploma, Degrees, and certificate of completion.
Evaluating individuals abilities and qualifications after graduation from university or institution,
prior to initiate working within hospitals is never done by government agenesis; who ever has a
graduation certificate is automatically considered as a licensed and qualified person for working
within hospitals and ready for providing all types of care, thus differentiating between qualified
and unqualified individuals is quite difficult within KRG health system.
Within Health care system we have different level of credentials for nurses such as diploma,
academic degrees, certificate, and certifications.
• Diploma: is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as college or
university that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of
study.
• Academic Degrees: is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a
course of study in higher education, normally at a college or university. These institutions
commonly offer degrees at various levels, typically including bachelors, masters and
doctorates, often alongside other academic certificates, and professional degrees.
• Professional certification: is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to
perform a job or task.

5. 3
• Academic certificate is a document that certifies that a person has received specific
education or has passed a test or series of tests.
• License: A legal approval by government.
Recommendation
1. The quality of KRG system need more progress in order to meet the standardized global
criteria and get international approval of credentialing from International NGOs.
2. The graduated nurse's abilities should be evaluated prior to their employment.
3. Renewing the legal permission of clinical practice yearly.
4. Creating a special Council for nursing accreditation, continuous evaluation of staff, and
giving working licence far from politics and favouritism.