Accreditation and Its Impact on Physiotherapy Outcomes in Saudi Arabia Advancing Quality and Patient Care: A Narrative Review

This literature review examines the role of healthcare accreditation frameworks—specifically CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), CBAHI (Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions), Planetree, and JCI (Joint Commission International)—in enhancing physiotherapy services in Saudi Arabia. A systematic search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar databases, focusing on peer-reviewed studies published in English between January 2000 and December 2024 that assessed accreditation’s influence on physiotherapy care quality. The review identified significant improvements attributable to accreditation, notably enhanced patient safety through reduced clinical errors, strengthened adherence to standardized clinical guidelines, and effective risk management. Accreditation also facilitated staff professional development, leading to increased competency, better clinical decision-making, and improved service delivery. Furthermore, standardizing physiotherapy practices through accreditation frameworks positively influenced patient outcomes, including better functional recovery, increased patient satisfaction, and higher overall service quality. The findings underscore accreditation as a critical strategy for advancing physiotherapy care standards in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need for continued implementation and support. The review advocates for widespread adoption and sustained integration of accreditation frameworks to achieve ongoing improvement in rehabilitation service quality and patient experiences within the Saudi healthcare system.