Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bayram Demir, President of the Turkish Health Services Quality and Accreditation Institute (TÜSKA), affiliated with the Turkish Institutes of Health Presidency (TÜSEB), stated that there are nearly 180 new accreditation applications covering public, private, and university healthcare facilities.

In a statement made in Bursa, Demir noted that TÜSKA accredits hospitals, laboratories, oral and dental health institutions, and dialysis centers in line with national and international standards.

The main purpose of accreditation is to improve the quality of healthcare services and strengthen patient, employee, and facility safety. Demir stated that healthcare institutions' compliance with international standards is documented through independent evaluations.

Pointing out that the Ministry of Health has included quality and accreditation studies among its important agenda items, Demir expressed that this approach supports continuous improvement in healthcare services.

Demir emphasized that the demand for accreditation has significantly increased recently. "Currently, we have nearly 180 new applications. These include our public, private, and university healthcare facilities. We see a feverish effort being carried out for accreditation, which we call the pinnacle of quality in healthcare services across Turkey. I am sure that this will spread throughout our country. To date, our Ministry of Health has been conducting quality studies for 20 years. The fact that this accreditation has gained such importance is related to the vision set by our Minister Kemal Memişoğlu for quality in healthcare services within the Turkish health system in 2025," he said.

Demir stated that accreditation applications continue to increase steadily. "We believe that this will increase both until the end of 2026 and in 2027. Because as the TÜSKA Institute, we are a public institution with an international identity. I would also like to state that we have financially accessible options for all our healthcare facilities compared to our international counterparts," he said.

International collaborations are also ongoing. Demir noted that TÜSKA continues its collaborations in the field of quality and accreditation with Senegal, Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, and Azerbaijan.

Stating that efforts are being made to develop the quality system in healthcare services in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Demir said that TÜSKA's promotional brochures have been prepared in 10 foreign languages to increase its international visibility.

Demir emphasized that TÜSKA's inclusion in the newsletters of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) strengthens Turkey's visibility in the field of healthcare quality. "Our TÜSKA is also a respected member of this international community. Indeed, we saw that our umbrella organization featured our work this year. It featured TÜSKA's work in its official newsletters. This inclusion increases our visibility worldwide. Furthermore, it is known by everyone that our medical services have an undeniable place in modern healthcare services on a global scale," he said.

Demir, stating that "Patient safety forms the main axis of our standards," stated that the most important reason for healthcare institutions to apply for accreditation is to have the compliance of their services with international standards certified by an independent organization. He also expressed that accreditation increases institutional prestige.

Pointing out that patient safety forms the basis of accreditation standards, Demir said, "Patient safety forms the main axis of our standards. As long as an institution accredited by TÜSKA ensures compliance with standards, it means it prioritizes patient safety, employee safety, and facility safety."

Demir, stating that Turkey has the potential to become an international brand in the field of healthcare quality, expressed that successes in health tourism also support this process.

Pointing out that they aim to contribute to the promotion of Turkish healthcare institutions through international meetings, academic publications, and collaborations, Demir invited all healthcare institutions to join the TÜSKA accreditation system.