NABH Entry Level Checklist: A Guide for Hospitals

This guide to the NABH entry level checklist explains what entry-level certification from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) involves under the 2nd edition standards that apply from March 2026, what the checklist covers, the 300-bed limit, the fees, and how to prepare.

What Is NABH Entry Level Certification (Entry Level Accreditation)?

Although many people call it entry level accreditation, NABH formally runs it as a certification programme, separate from full accreditation.

The current standards are the 2nd edition of the NABH Entry-Level Certification Standards for Hospitals, which apply to applications with fees paid on or after 1 March 2026. Certification is valid for two years. Like full accreditation, the standards are organised into ten chapters (AAC, COP, MOM, PRE, IPC, PSQ, ROM, FMS, HRM and IMS), with a preliminary section on basic eligibility, legal licences and registration.

Importance Of NABH Entry Level Checklist For Hospitals

Working through the checklist before you apply shows whether the hospital meets the standards, and the certification itself brings benefits such as:

• Enhancing patient safety measures
• Streamlining operational procedures
• Building trust with patients and the healthcare community
• Improving clinical outcomes

A good internal checklist helps you confirm that all necessary requirements are met before NABH’s desktop and onsite assessments for entry-level certification.

Key Components Of The NABH Entry Level Checklist

The NABH Entry Level Checklist comprises several standards that hospitals need to follow. These standards are designed to assess various aspects of hospital operations, from patient care to safety protocols. The official standards follow NABH’s ten chapters; the four areas below group the requirements hospitals most often need to work on.

1. Patient-Centered Care

One of the most critical aspects of the NABH entry level standards is ensuring that patients receive the best care possible. Hospitals must demonstrate that they have effective systems in place for managing patient complaints, ensuring confidentiality, and providing patient rights. Key elements under this section include:

• Proper documentation of patient information
• Ensuring patient privacy
• Patient feedback and grievance handling systems

2. Safety and Infection Control

Safety and infection control are another vital component of the NABH entry level checklist. Hospitals must adhere to strict infection prevention protocols to protect both patients and staff. This section involves:

• Sterilization and disinfection procedures
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) protocols
• Waste management and disposal systems

3. Facility Management And Safety

For hospitals to meet NABH entry level standards, they must ensure that their facilities are safe and well-managed. This includes the maintenance of building infrastructure, electrical systems, and fire safety measures. Important considerations include:

• Regular inspection of medical equipment
• Fire safety drills and emergency exits
• Availability of first-aid and disaster management kits

4. Staff Competency and Training

The competence of hospital staff plays a major role in achieving accreditation. As per the NABH entry level, hospitals are required to maintain staff training records and ensure continuous development. Hospitals should focus on:

• Regular staff training on safety and patient care
• Keeping updated certifications and licenses
• Encouraging skill-building through workshops and seminars

Preparing For NABH Audit Checklist For Hospitals

Preparation for entry-level certification follows the same pattern as for full accreditation: review, document, fix. In outline:

1. Conducting a Self-Assessment

Assess the hospital against the entry-level standards before applying, focusing on:

• Documenting patient care protocols
• Evaluating infection control practices
• Reviewing safety measures

Our NABH audit checklist for hospitals covers how to run internal audits in more detail.

2. Gathering Documentation and Records

Documentation usually takes longest. Have evidence ready of:

• Staff qualifications and training records
• Patient records and confidentiality agreements
• Compliance with safety and infection control procedures

3. Continuous Improvement

Act on the gaps the internal audit finds, and keep monitoring and updating protocols so the hospital stays compliant through the two-year certification.

Different NABH Levels And Their Importance

NABH offers entry-level certification, which focuses on basic safety and quality, and full accreditation (Hospital or Small Healthcare Organisation accreditation), which is a more comprehensive assessment that also looks at clinical outcomes. Advancing through these levels demonstrates a hospital’s commitment to quality and patient safety.

1. NABH Entry Level vs. Full Accreditation

Entry-level certification focuses on essential quality standards and lasts two years. Full hospital accreditation evaluates the hospital more comprehensively and, under the current standards, lasts four years with a surveillance assessment midway.

2. Moving from Entry Level to Full Accreditation

Hospitals that achieve entry-level certification can later apply for full NABH accreditation. NABH’s current programmes do not include a separate progressive level: smaller hospitals (50 beds or fewer) usually move to SHCO accreditation, and larger hospitals to the Hospital Accreditation Programme. This involves meeting more advanced standards that go beyond the basics. Full accreditation involves a deeper review of:

• Clinical outcomes
• Patient satisfaction metrics
• Comprehensive quality management systems

By working through the NABH levels, hospitals demonstrate a commitment to continuous quality improvement.

What Is NABH HOPE Entry Level Certification?

HOPE (Healthcare Organisations’ Platform for Entry-Level Certification) is the name of the online platform through which NABH ran its entry level certification programme, and the programme is still widely known as HOPE certification. NABH introduced its entry level standards in 2014 for hospitals, especially smaller facilities with limited resources in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, giving them a simple, scalable framework to begin their journey towards patient safety and quality care.

According to NABH, more than 13,000 hospitals had taken part by April 2025, from small healthcare facilities to larger institutions such as hospitals attached to medical colleges.

2nd Edition Entry Level Standards From 2026

NABH released the 2nd edition of its Entry-Level Certification Standards for Hospitals in September 2025. Under its revised migration plan of 13 February 2026:

• New portal: since 16 February 2026, applications are made through NABH’s new portal at nabh.qcin.org. The old HOPE portal took 1st edition applications only until 28 February 2026.
• Which edition applies: new and renewal applications with fees paid on or after 1 March 2026 are assessed against the 2nd edition. Certification remains valid for two years.
• Renewals: hospitals whose earlier certification was valid on or after 1 August 2025 can apply as renewal applicants for up to six months after it expires; later applications are treated as fresh ones.
• Phased assessment: objective elements are graded Core, Commitment and Excellence. A first-time applicant with up to 50 beds is assessed only on Core elements in its first cycle, while larger hospitals and renewing hospitals are assessed on Core and Commitment elements, with Excellence elements added in later cycles.
• Desktop assessment: there is now a single cycle for closing non-conformities.

NABH HOPE Changes Announced In April 2025

In a notification published on April 21, 2025, NABH revised the HOPE programme. The main points still matter for hospitals planning to apply:

• Fees: since June 1, 2025, a 2-year fee based on sanctioned bed strength, paid upfront: ₹21,000 for up to 5 beds, ₹40,000 for 6 to 20 beds, ₹80,000 for 21 to 50 beds, ₹1,60,000 for 51 to 100 beds and ₹2,00,000 for 101 to 300 beds. A transitional rebate of 25% to 40% for hospitals with 6 to 300 beds applied only until September 30, 2026. Check NABH’s website for the fee that applies when you apply.
• Hospitals with more than 300 beds: since October 1, 2026, NABH no longer accepts fresh or renewal entry level applications from hospitals with more than 300 beds. These hospitals are expected to move to NABH’s Hospital Accreditation Program, and NABH set up a team to support the transition. Large hospitals certified under the exceptional window that closed on September 30, 2026 keep that certificate for its two-year validity.
• Exceptions to the 300-bed rule: a new hospital commissioned on or after October 1, 2026 (for one cycle of entry level certification), and all government-owned hospitals, regardless of when they were commissioned.

NABH said it would review this policy two years after it took effect, so check its website for any later changes.

The same notification announced support for entry level applicants and small healthcare providers:

• Virtual assessments for facilities with up to 5 beds.
• Optimised assessor man-days.
• Free access to the Entry Level Standards for Hospitals and SHCOs.
• Downloadable templates of commonly used forms, to reduce the documentation burden.
• Regular training workshops to help facilities prepare.

Hospitals that are outgrowing entry level certification can follow the steps in this guide to the NABH accreditation process.

Official sources: For the current standards and application process, see the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) its Hospitals Accreditation Programme, the free NABH E-Mitra toolkit for entry-level certification and NABH’s revised implementation plan for the 2nd edition (PDF).

Conclusion

The NABH entry level checklist gives smaller hospitals a manageable framework for safety and quality, and a base for full NABH accreditation later.

The checklist’s patient feedback and grievance requirement is one area where software helps: LazyMonkey’s patient feedback system for hospitals collects feedback through QR codes and tracks complaints to closure.

Frequently Asked Questions