NABH 6th edition
All hospital accreditation applications now follow the 6th edition standards. Here is what that means for you.
- Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and dental
- Entry Level to full accreditation
- Gap analysis, documents, training, assessment support
NABH guide: all topics
When the 6th edition applies
NABH announced the 6th edition of its Accreditation Standards for Hospitals in notification NABH/Gen/2024/6413 (10 September 2024). It was released on 17 September 2024 and became effective from 1 January 2025, with a published implementation and migration plan for applicant and accredited hospitals. The guidebook is sold by NABH.
What the standards cover
Like earlier editions, the standards are organised into chapters covering patient-centric and organisation-centric areas, each with standards and measurable objective elements. Areas include:
- Access, assessment and continuity of care
- Care of patients
- Management of medication
- Patient rights and education
- Hospital infection control
- Continuous quality improvement
- Responsibilities of management
- Facility management and safety
- Human resource management
- Information management systems
Buy the official 6th edition guidebook from NABH and work from the exact text of each objective element; summaries (including this one) are not a substitute.
How to prepare for 6th edition accreditation
- Gap analysis against every objective element.
- Update documents written for the 5th edition.
- Train staff by department.
- Measure quality indicators and audit regularly.
- Mock assessment before NABH’s visit.
Hospitals with 50 beds or fewer can consider SHCO accreditation instead.
Get a free NABH readiness check
Tell us your facility type, number of beds and city. We will suggest the right NABH programme, estimate the effort and fees, and list the gaps to close first.
Frequently asked questions
When did the NABH 6th edition come into effect?
Do accredited hospitals need to migrate to the 6th edition?
Where can I get the 6th edition standards?
Planning NABH?
Talk to the Medasus quality team in Bengaluru. We handle gap analysis, documentation, staff training and assessment preparation.
Last reviewed on 2 November 2026 against: NABH official website; NABH FAQs for hospitals; NABH accreditation, certification and empanelment programmes; NABH notification NABH/Gen/2024/6413: implementation plan of the 6th edition hospital standards. Medasus Healthcare Pvt Ltd is an independent consultancy and is not part of NABH or the Quality Council of India. Accreditation and certification are granted only by NABH after its own assessment; Medasus cannot guarantee results or timelines. Fees and rules change, so check nabh.co before applying.
