NABH HOPE Entry Level Certification Standards

Published Date: April 21, 2025
Issued By: National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH)

NABH has released an important notification to rationalize the fee structure for its HOPE Entry Level Certification Program, effective June 01, 2025. The update comes with a thoughtful blend of enhanced benefits, value-added services, and a roadmap for transition—especially for larger hospitals.

This move is a step forward in NABH’s mission to make quality healthcare accessible, affordable, and future-ready for all types of healthcare facilities across India.

What Is The HOPE Entry Level Certification Program?

The Hospital and Healthcare Providers’ Entry Level (HOPE) Certification Standards were designed to support small and mid-sized hospitals, especially those in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, with limited infrastructure and budget. The goal was to help them begin their journey toward patient safety and quality care by providing a simple, scalable framework for improvement.

Since its inception, the program has successfully onboarded over 13,000 healthcare institutions, including clinics, private hospitals, SHCOs (Small Healthcare Organizations), and even teaching hospitals.

Despite rising costs and inflationary pressures, NABH had kept the program’s fee structure unchanged for over 11 years. With the recent rationalization, the board aims to make the program more sustainable, while keeping the interests of smaller hospitals in focus.

A. Rationalised Fee Structure (Effective June 01, 2025)

The newly announced 2-year fee structure is based on the bed strength of the hospital and has been designed to strike a balance between operational costs and affordability:

Note: For hospitals with 301+ beds, HOPE certification will no longer be available after October 01, 2026, with certain exceptions.

B. Larger Hospitals To Transition Towards Advanced Accreditation

Hospitals with more than 300 beds are generally equipped to manage higher operational complexity and are thus encouraged to transition to NABH’s Hospital Accreditation Program starting October 01, 2026.

Who Still Qualifies for HOPE Post-Oct 2026?

Only the following exceptions will be considered:

• Newly commissioned hospitals (post-October 1, 2026) – for one HOPE cycle
• Government-owned hospitals – irrespective of their commissioning date

To support this transition, NABH will deploy a dedicated transition support team to guide hospitals towards advanced accreditation with minimal disruption.

3. New Complimentary Certifications & Digital Push

As a part of its drive to encourage sustainability and digital adoption in healthcare, NABH has introduced two new certifications, available free of cost (till September 30, 2025) to HOPE-certified institutions:

1. Self-Certification in Climate Change Resilience & Sustainability

Encouraging hospitals to adopt eco-friendly practices and long-term sustainability goals.

2. DHS (Digital Health Standards) Silver Certification

The first 300 hospitals to apply will receive a 50% subsidy on the certification fee — a major boost for institutions embracing digital health standards early.

These initiatives reinforce NABH’s commitment to aligning Indian healthcare practices with global trends and goals such as environmental sustainability and digital transformation.

D. Value-Added Services For Small And Mid-sized Hospitals

To enhance value and ease of implementation, NABH is rolling out a suite of value-added services specifically for HOPE applicants and small healthcare providers:

• Virtual Assessments for facilities with up to 5 beds — minimizing travel and logistical costs
• Optimized Assessor Man-days — streamlining the certification process
• Free access to Entry Level Standards for Hospitals and SHCOs
• Downloadable templates of commonly used forms to reduce the documentation burden
• AI-powered Chatbot (in development) to assist with real-time support
• Regular training workshops for better preparation and understanding of the process

Conclusion

The NABH’s revised certification framework is a timely upgrade—a move that modernizes quality assurance while being mindful of hospital capacities. Whether you’re a small clinic or a hospital preparing to scale, these updates offer a clear, supportive path forward.

Don’t miss the deadline! Make sure to apply under the revised fee structure and leverage rebates before September 30, 2026.

Notification for Rationalizing Fee for Entry Level

[You can download the official NABH Notification PDF from here]