What is the process called that evaluates and recognizes an entity's ability to provide safe and ethical patient care?

The process that evaluates and recognizes an entity's ability to provide safe and ethical patient care is known as accreditation. Accreditation involves a thorough review by an external body that assesses whether an organization meets specific standards set forth by professional and regulatory bodies. This process ensures that the organization adheres to established benchmarks for quality and safety in patient care, thereby enhancing the organization's credibility and trustworthiness.

Certification, often confused with accreditation, typically refers to the process by which individuals (such as healthcare professionals) are recognized for having met certain standards of competency. Registration can refer to being listed in a formal register, while portfolio review pertains to assessing a collection of work or achievements, which is not primarily focused on patient care standards. Therefore, while certification, registration, and portfolio review play important roles in professional validation, they do not encompass the broader review and recognition framework that accreditation provides in evaluating organizations specifically for safe and ethical patient care delivery.