Avedis Donabedian Foundation Agreement 2026: what changes for healthcare centers

Key data

Healthcare centers and health professionals participating in accreditation and quality improvement programs should pay attention to this modification. The amendment to the agreement between the General Directorate of Public Health and Health Equity and the Avedis Donabedian Foundation updates the conditions for collaboration to promote continuous improvement of care quality, strengthen patient safety and develop quality infrastructure in the national health system.

The resolution publishing this amendment is dated April 15, 2026 and was published in the BOE on May 7, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-9942). Although this is a modification of an agreement between public bodies, its effects extend to all centers and professionals that depend on the Avedis Donabedian Foundation programs to maintain or renew their quality accreditations.

What does this regulation establish?

This resolution publishes the amendment to modify the agreement signed between the General Directorate of Public Health and Health Equity and the Avedis Donabedian Foundation. An amendment is a document that modifies or complements an existing agreement without replacing it entirely.

According to the published information, the areas that this amendment may modify are the following:

The agreement has three main areas of action, which this amendment reinforces or updates:

• Continuous improvement of care quality in the national health system
• Patient safety: strengthening of support mechanisms and programs
• Quality infrastructure: development of systems and tools that support healthcare accreditation

The Avedis Donabedian Foundation is the leading entity in Spain for healthcare center accreditation and quality management training. Its collaboration with the General State Administration is the main channel through which healthcare centers access nationally recognized accreditation programs.

Economic and operational impact

The amendment does not publish specific economic figures in the available information. However, its operational impact for healthcare centers and professionals is relevant for several reasons:

• The accreditation programs of the Avedis Donabedian Foundation are a requirement or reference for many healthcare centers when demonstrating quality to the Administration, insurers and patients.
• Any change in the objectives or activities of the agreement can result in new accreditation requirements, modifications in evaluation processes or updates to the standards that centers must meet.
• Changes in deadlines may affect the renewal schedules of accreditations already in progress.
• Modifications in the financing of the agreement may influence the availability and cost of training and accreditation programs for participating centers.

For centers that have active accreditation processes or are in renewal, it is recommended to verify whether the applicable standards or deadlines have changed as a result of this amendment.

Who does it affect?

This modification has direct and indirect impact on the following groups:

• Public and private healthcare centers participating in accreditation programs of the Avedis Donabedian Foundation
• Hospitals and clinics that use quality standards developed within the framework of this agreement
• Health professionals who access quality management training through the Foundation
• Public bodies of the healthcare system: autonomous communities, health departments and managing entities that reference the Foundation's accreditation programs in their requirements
• Patients, indirectly, as the quality and safety of the centers where they are treated are affected
• Quality and patient safety managers in healthcare centers, who must adapt their processes to the new objectives of the agreement

Practical example

A medium-sized hospital that has an ongoing process to renew its quality accreditation with the Avedis Donabedian Foundation should consider the following regarding this amendment:

If the amendment modifies the deadlines of the agreement, the evaluation schedule and documentation delivery for accreditation renewal could be altered. The center's quality manager should contact the Foundation to confirm whether the deadlines in force in their accreditation process remain the same or change.

If the amendment modifies the objectives or activities, the standards that the hospital must meet to obtain or maintain accreditation could be updated. This may involve reviewing internal protocols, updating quality documentation or incorporating new patient safety indicators.

If the amendment affects the financing of the agreement, the cost or availability of quality management training programs that the center's staff access through the Foundation could change.

In all cases, the immediate action is to verify with the Avedis Donabedian Foundation or with the General Directorate of Public Health and Health Equity what the specific impact is on ongoing processes.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if your center participates in Avedis Donabedian Foundation programs: Review whether you have active accreditations, ongoing renewal processes or training linked to the modified agreement.
2. Contact the Avedis Donabedian Foundation: Request information about the specific impact of the amendment on the programs in which your center participates, especially if you have upcoming accreditation deadlines.
3. Review applicable quality standards: Check whether the objectives or activities of the updated agreement imply changes in the accreditation requirements you must meet.
4. Update the calendar