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Published on

15/7/2025

HAS Certification 2025

HAS 2025 certification marks a new stage in France's commitment to excellence in healthcare. By combining continuity and innovations, the framework adapts to the complex realities of the healthcare system.

HAS 2025 Certification: Ensuring Excellence in Healthcare Facilities

The indispensable HAS Certification for quality and safety of care

Certification by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) is an essential pillar for healthcare facilities in France, whether public or private. Established in 1996, under the name of accreditation, it has become a mandatory procedure whose main objective is to ensure the continuous improvement of the quality and safety of care provided to patients. More than just regulatory compliance, this certification guarantees the quality of care and patient safety, aspects deemed crucial.

The HAS certification process is independent of the hospital and its supervisory bodies, and it is conducted by professionals mandated by the HAS, called expert visitors. Its mission is to assess the level of quality and safety of care delivered, based on objectives defined collectively at the national level by healthcare professionals and users. Certification is neither an inspection nor a ranking between hospitals, but a comprehensive framework for external analysis and evaluation, serving as a lever to mobilize teams and user representatives in a continuous improvement process. It emphasizes the patient's point of view, the evaluation of care outcomes (health, reception, information, coordination), and encourages the autonomy of teams in organizing their practices to achieve the set objectives.

HAS certification is also recognized internationally, with the HAS itself being accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) for the rigor and quality of its system. This process is constantly evolving, with annual updates to adapt to the realities of the healthcare system. In 2025, the certification of healthcare facilities enters its 6th cycle, with new developments aimed at strengthening requirements on key issues, adapting to public health priorities, and making patients true partners.

The foundations and continuity of HAS Certification

The 6th HAS certification cycle, applicable to visits from September 2025, is part of a logic of continuity while making adjustments. The Haute Autorité de Santé has chosen to maintain the fundamental structure of its reference framework. Thus, the organization into chapters, objectives, criteria, and evaluation elements remains unchanged. This approach, building on the achievements of previous cycles, aims to facilitate the appropriation of the approach by professionals.

Similarly, the Calista platform, an essential collaborative tool for exchanges between the HAS and hospitals, is maintained. This platform allows hospitals to validate their data, grant access rights to professionals, access their personalized repository, news, shared documents, internal assessment reports, their visit schedule, and their certification reports.

The five main evaluation methods, which are widely mastered, are also retained, although they may be subject to simple adjustments. These methods are patient tracer, pathway tracer, targeted tracer, system audit and observation.

The tracer patient method allows for the collective analysis of a patient's journey retrospectively, integrating the perceptions of the patient and their relatives, cross-referenced with the analysis of care by professionals. This method specifically evaluates organizations, interfaces between sectors, and interprofessional coordination.
The tracer pathway assesses the continuity and coordination of care, teamwork, and the quality and safety culture throughout a patient's journey. The evaluator traces the patient's physical journey and meets with the teams and patients involved.
The targeted tracer aims to assess the actual implementation of a process in the field to ensure its control and its ability to achieve the objectives. It involves meetings with teams, consultation of documents and observations. Eight categories of targeted tracers are planned to assess specific processes such as the drug circuit, transfusion, management of adverse events, prevention of infections, and other critical sectors.
The system audit evaluates the institutional strategy of governance and the participation of professionals and user representatives in its implementation. It verifies the hospital's ability to achieve its objectives and those set for it, through meetings with governance, user representatives, and teams at their place of activity.
Observation allows for the visual or oral assessment of compliance with good practices in the field, in addition to tracer methods, and is based on an observation grid.

Finally, the four decision levels at the end of the certification visit (hospital certified with commendation, certified, certified under conditions, not certified) and their publication on the Qualiscope website remain unchanged. The hospital's overall score is the average of the results of the three chapters of the reference framework. Certification is valid for four years, unless a decision of non-certification or certification under conditions is made, which implies a new procedure within a timeframe defined by the HAS.

Key developments of the HAS V2025 framework

Although the 6th cycle of HAS certification focuses on continuity, it incorporates significant changes, particularly in the structuring and types of criteria. The three chapters of the framework—the patient, the care teams, and the hospital—are retained but rebalanced in terms of objectives. The new framework now has 12 objectives (four per chapter), each broken down into criteria with four to six evaluation elements. This rebalancing aims to simplify the calculation of averages.

The 12 objectives of the V2025 framework are as follows:

Respect for patient rights
Patient information
Patient engagement in their care plan
The involvement of patients and their representatives in the life of the hospital
Team coordination for patient management
Controlling risks associated with practices
Safety in sectors with major risks (emergency, surgical and interventional, radiotherapy, maternity, critical care, EMS/HEMS, mental health and psychiatry)
The culture of relevance and results
Global management through quality and safety of care
Mastering professional resources and skills
Territorial positioning
Adapting to eco-responsible care and digital innovations.

One notable change concerns the number of imperative criteria, which increases from 17 to 21 between the 2024 and 2025 versions. These imperative criteria are fundamental requirements, and a negative assessment of any one of them may prevent a facility from obtaining certification, or affect its decision level. The new imperative criteria include requirements such as respect for patient privacy and dignity, pain prevention, patient care, informed consent, patient satisfaction and experience, good prescribing and medication administration practices, prevention of medication errors, and standard hygiene precautions, appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions, reporting of adverse events, management of exceptional health situations, control of life-threatening emergencies, and criteria specific to psychiatry (somatic examination, isolation/containment of patients hospitalized without consent) and perinatal care (newborn care, prevention of major obstetrical risks).

The 2025 framework also introduces five advanced criteria, the results of which are not taken into account in the certification score. These criteria represent desirable but not yet mandatory requirements and are considered potential standard criteria in the future. They include aspects such as governance support for the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), promotion of patient self-administration of medication (PSAM), accreditation of physicians and medical teams, and the use of innovative technological tools without medical purpose, including those based on artificial intelligence.

These adjustments aim to make the reference framework more relevant and adapted to the current challenges of the healthcare system, while encouraging innovation and continuous improvement of practices.

Reinforced priorities and new quality indicators

The 6th HAS certification cycle emphasizes several major areas for improvement, reflecting public health priorities and changes in the medical landscape.

1. Digitalization and CybersecurityThe 2025 framework significantly strengthens the criteria related to digital technology, a trend already initiated in the previous version. It introduces requirements regarding the use of digital medical devices (DMDs), especially those incorporating artificial intelligence.

Criterion 3.4-04 encourages the use of telehealth (telemedicine and telecare) to improve the patient pathway. Telehealth aims to facilitate access to care, reduce delays and enable care to be provided as close as possible to the patient's place of residence. The hospital must organize this activity, train its teams and use compliant tools, while evaluating its practices.
Criterion 3.4-05 requires the hospital to manage the use of MDD for professional use, including those using artificial intelligence. These tools, used for screening, diagnosis or therapeutic decision-making, present new risks (cyber attacks, data leaks, algorithmic biases). The hospital must map their use, put in place a structured organization for their acquisition and a quality control process, train professionals in their performance and limitations, and ensure that patients are informed of their use in the event of algorithmic decision support.
Advanced criterion 3.4-06 concerns the use of innovative technological tools without medical purpose, such as AI, to improve the organization of the hospital. Although not mandatory for scoring, these criteria encourage the evaluation of the organizational impact of these tools.
In parallel, mastery of digital security risks is strengthened (criterion 3.1-07). Hospitals must conduct audits, cyber crisis exercises, and train professionals in the detection and management of attacks. Business continuity and disaster recovery plans (BCP/DRP) are expected, as well as the rapid reporting of significant incidents. The security of patient data, particularly with the use of Mon espace santé and secure messaging, is also a priority (criterion 3.1-09).

2. Post-partum Care and Obstetrical RisksFrance is facing a concerning infant mortality rate. To address this, the 2025 framework places greater emphasis on managing risks associated with the care of pregnant women and newborns.

Imperative criterion 2.3-10 requires teams to implement measures to prevent major obstetric risks, ensuring rapid detection of potential complications, strict protocols and emergency simulations.
Imperative criterion 2.3-11 aims to secure the care of the newborn, in particular through immediate identification, prevention of infections and assessment of its vital functions from birth. The birth and parenthood project is also highlighted.

3. Ecology and Eco-Responsible CareA new feature of the framework is the integration of criteria related to ecology, encouraging hospitals to reduce their environmental impact.

Criterion 3.4-02 commits the hospital to eco-responsible care, by promoting a culture of sustainable development and by evaluating the environmental impact of practices.
Criterion 3.4-03 requires the hospital to act for the ecological transition by reducing its energy consumption, improving waste management (sorting at source) and promoting sustainable mobility.

4. Patient Experience and InvolvementThe 2025 framework reinforces the consideration of patient experience, positioning the patient as a full partner in the healthcare system.

Criterion 1.4-01 invites the patient to express their satisfaction and share their experience, notably via national questionnaires such as e-Satis, or internal mechanisms.
Imperative criterion 1.4-02 stipulates that patient satisfaction and experience must be taken into account to define the orientations of the quality and safety of care improvement policy.
Advanced criterion 1.4-03 encourages governance to support the use of questionnaires targeting patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), recognizing their role in improving quality and patient-professional communication.
Patient partners and associations are also mobilized in the construction of care pathways (criterion 1.4-04). The involvement of user representatives in the life of the hospital is valued (criteria 1.4-05 and 1.4-06).

5. Proper Use of AntibioticsFaced with the continued insufficient control of risks associated with the use of medications, the objectives and evaluation criteria are being revised.

Imperative criterion 2.4-02 ("The relevance of antibiotic prescriptions is justified and re-evaluated") is reinforced, highlighting the importance of justifying prescriptions, their regular re-evaluation, monitoring antibiotic consumption and participating in networks to combat antibiotic resistance. Criterion 2.3-05 on good antibiotic prophylaxis practices becomes standard.

6. Psychiatry and Emergency ServicesThe certification adapts to public health priorities, particularly in psychiatry and for emergency services.

In psychiatry, evaluation criteria are reviewed for substantial improvements in practices. The objectives focus on the prevention of suicidal risks (criterion 2.1-11), the development of care projects promoting social inclusion (criterion 1.3-09), compliance with good isolation and restraint practices (imperative criterion 2.3-14), and improvement of somatic care (imperative criterion 2.1-12). Access to mental health care is also organized and monitored (criterion 2.1-10).
For emergencies, the framework emphasizes the management of unscheduled patients, the systematization of direct hospitalization pathways, and the organization of intra-pathway meetings with local stakeholders (criterion 3.3-04). Preventing avoidable transfers of elderly people becomes an imperative criterion (criterion 3.3-05). The management of life-threatening emergencies (imperative criterion 2.2-12) is also reinforced.

These developments underline the HAS's commitment to adapting certification to the contemporary challenges of the health system, by emphasizing safety, the relevance of care and a more integrated and human approach.

Evaluation methods at the heart of the 2025 framework

Evaluation methods are crucial for assessing the quality and safety of care in healthcare facilities. The HAS 2025 framework maintains the five main methods, which are the patient tracer, the pathway tracer, the targeted tracer, the system audit, and observation. However, the application and depth of these methods can be adjusted to meet new requirements.

The Tracer PatientThis method evaluates the quality and safety of patient care throughout their journey by collecting their experience and that of their relatives. The evaluator (exclusively a physician expert-visitor for external evaluations) speaks with the patient, then with the care team in charge of their care. The profile of the chosen patient should be close to discharge to maximize the extent of the experience collected. For example, imperative criterion 1.1-01 on respecting the patient's privacy and dignity is evaluated in part by the patient tracer, who collects the patient's point of view on their reception and care conditions. The patient tracer also makes it possible to assess whether the patient was able to express their free and informed consent (imperative criterion 1.3-01).

The Tracer PathwayThe tracer pathway is used to assess the continuity and coordination of patient care, teamwork, and the quality and safety culture. The evaluator meets with the teams involved and traces the patient's physical pathway, completing their assessment with meetings with the teams involved in this pathway. This method is relevant for criteria such as team coordination (criterion 2.1-03), benevolent care (mandatory criterion 1.1-06), or securing the care of the newborn (mandatory criterion 2.3-11).

The Targeted TracerThis method consists of evaluating the actual implementation of a process in the field to ensure its control and its ability to achieve the objectives. The evaluation starts from the field and can go back to the organization of the process in the event of malfunctions. It involves meetings with teams, document consultation and observations. Key processes are evaluated by targeted tracer, such as the drug circuit (imperative criterion 2.2-05 on the administration of drugs, imperative criterion 2.2-06 on the prevention of medication errors), the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (imperative criterion 2.2-08 on standard hygiene precautions), the management of adverse events (imperative criterion 3.1-04), or interventional sectors (imperative criterion 2.3-06 on the control of risks linked to equipment and professional practices).

System AuditThe system audit evaluates a process to ensure its control and its ability to achieve objectives, from the process to its verification in the field. It includes documentary consultations and meetings with management, governance, user representatives, and teams. This method is fundamental for evaluating criteria related to overall management through quality and safety of care (criterion 3.1-01 on quality/safety policy), control of professional resources (criterion 3.2-06 on professional health policy), territorial positioning (criterion 3.3-01 on care pathway coordination), or adaptation to digital innovations (criterion 3.4-05 on DMN management).

Observation: Observations are carried out continuously during each tracer. They allow for visual assessment of compliance with good practices in the field, such as the cleanliness of premises, respect for patient privacy, or the use of personal protective equipment. For example, criterion 3.4-01 concerning the maintenance of premises and equipment is evaluated by observation and system audit.

These combined methods allow expert visitors to obtain a complete and robust view of the level of quality and safety of care within the <strong wg-1="">hospital</strong>. The internal evaluation of <strong wg-1="">hospitals</strong> can also use these same methods, with the support of tools such as Calista to generate customized evaluation grids.

Effectively prepare for the HAS 2025 Certification transition

Preparation for HAS 2025 certification is a crucial step for healthcare facilities, with significant implications for their attractiveness and quality of care. To successfully transition from the V2024 to the V2025 framework, a structured approach and the involvement of all teams are essential.

Key steps for optimal preparation The first step consists of a meticulous analysis of the new requirements of the HAS 2025 framework and a thorough understanding of the five evaluation methods by all professionals. It is imperative to assimilate the changes introduced in the framework, released on January 2, 2025, and applicable from September 1, 2025, in order to define their impact for professionals and the hospital.

Secondly, it is strongly recommended to conduct a self-assessment of the hospital or each department. This self-assessment measures the hospital's level of compliance with the criteria of the applicable standard and identifies areas for improvement. It can be carried out by internal assessors using the same methods as expert visitors, with tools such as Calista to generate assessment grids. The objective is no longer to transmit this self-assessment to the HAS, but to use it as an internal tool to define an action plan.

Pitfalls to avoid Certain recurring difficulties can compromise the preparation and success of certification. It is crucial to anticipate and avoid them. Among the most common sticking points are:

Lack of internal communication: Transparent and regular communication with all stakeholders is essential from the beginning of the preparation phase.
Failure to monitor corrective actions: Rigorous monitoring of corrective actions identified during self-assessment is essential to ensure that non-conformities are corrected before the official visit.
Failure to meet deadlines: Precise planning and strict adherence to deadlines are necessary for effective preparation.

To overcome these challenges, it is advisable to:

Involve all stakeholders, including staff, from the beginning of the process.
Establish a steering committee, representing all functions of the hospital, with decision-making power to effectively monitor preparation.

Tools and resources to mobilize: Several tools and resources are available to support hospitals in complying with the new requirements.

Training: These are crucial to enable teams to understand the new requirements and how to apply them. Organizations such as AGEVAL Formations offer expert support to master each step of the process.
External support: Specialized consultants can provide expertise and an external perspective to optimize the hospital's internal processes.
Practical guides: Developed by experts, they provide detailed information on the steps to follow.
HAS resources: The Haute Autorité de Santé (French National Authority for Health) provides valuable official documentation, including the Healthcare facility certification repository for quality of care – version 2025, the Certification methodological guide, information documents on the 6th cycle, and educational sheets detailing the evaluation methods (system audit, observation, patient tracer).

Preparation should be seen as a proactive approach to continuous improvement, rather than a mere obligation, by mobilizing all available resources for a successful transition to HAS 2025 certification.

The role of team and governance involvement

The success of the HAS 2025 certification fundamentally depends on the involvement and mobilization of all teams within the hospital. This involvement is a determining factor, as the quality of care and patient safety are the result of the daily practices of each professional.

Staff engagement strategiesStaff engagement strategies should be implemented from the start of the certification preparation process. It is essential to make teams aware of the importance of certification, not only as a regulatory obligation, but above all as an opportunity to improve their work and patient care. Teams should be actively involved in the various stages of the process, from analyzing new requirements to implementing improvement actions.

Improving internal communication is essential to keep teams informed and motivated. Regular meetings, effective communication tools, and constructive feedback contribute to creating an environment of transparency where everyone feels involved and heard.

Promoting the quality approach is another key to success. Recognizing the efforts made by the teams and highlighting the improvements made through their work helps to maintain their commitment and strengthen their sense of belonging to a culture of quality and safety of care.

The role of governanceThe hospital's governance (management, medical board - CME, nursing management) plays a driving role in promoting this dynamic. It must deploy a quality and safety of care improvement policy that is clear, personalized and participatory, involving management, professionals and user representatives. This policy must be based on an analysis of available indicators (in particular Quality and Safety of Care Indicators - QSCI and patient experience) and risks specific to the hospital.

Governance must promote a positive safety culture where human error is analyzed to learn from it, rather than being condemned. It must support team initiatives, such as the reporting of adverse events associated with care (AEASC) and feedback. The accreditation of physicians and medical teams is a mechanism encouraged by the HAS to develop this safety culture and maintain skills.

Moreover, governance is responsible for managing professional resources and skills. It must ensure the adequacy between available human resources and the quality/safety of care, particularly during periods of strain. This includes verifying the credentials and skills of professionals, implementing continuing education, and evaluating competencies. The hospital must also have a health policy for its professionals (prevention of occupational risks, psychological support, vaccination) and a quality of work life (QWL) policy.

By fostering teamwork and creating a supportive environment, governance and management enable professionals to fully commit to the quality process, which is essential for successful certification and, more importantly, for continuous improvement in patient care.

HAS Certification: A Lever for Continuous Improvement

HAS 2025 certification is not an end in itself, but a fundamental step in a continuous improvement approach to the quality and safety of care within healthcare facilities. The ultimate goal is to permanently anchor the culture of quality and risk management in daily practices.

Process monitoring and optimizationTo guarantee this continuous improvement, effective monitoring of the preparation for and the certification visit is essential. This monitoring ensures that good practices are maintained beyond the evaluation period and that the corrective actions implemented are sustainable. The HAS itself is evaluated on its certification process, which attests to the rigor of its continuous improvement approach.

Optimizing internal processes must be a constant priority. This implies a regular evaluation of practices and organizations, based on audits, Professional Practice Evaluations (PPE), and feedback (REX). The quality approach (policy, objectives, measurement tools) must be integrated at all levels of the hospital. Morbidity and Mortality Reviews (MMR) and Feedback Committees (CREX) are key tools for collectively analyzing adverse events and implementing improvement actions.

Anticipating future developmentsIt's crucial to keep abreast of new requirements, as HAS standards generally evolve every year. This ongoing adaptation of the facility's practices is the key to maintaining a high level of quality and anticipating future challenges. Adapting to changes in the healthcare system, including medical, economic and social changes and health crises, is one of the ambitions of certification.

The certification promotes the evaluation of the results of the quality and safety of care approach, encouraging hospitals to improve their performance while preserving their achievements. It emphasizes the relevance of care, multi-professional teamwork, and the promotion of the territorial integration of healthcare facilities in the construction of fluid and coordinated care pathways.

Hospitals are encouraged to develop a culture of evaluation, relying on quality and safety of care indicators (QSCIs) to measure the impact of their practices and identify areas for improvement. The use of data from PROMs and PREMs (Patient Reported Outcome Measures and Patient Reported Experience Measures) to measure care outcomes and patient experience is also a lever for continuous improvement.

In summary, HAS certification is a dynamic process that encourages hospitals to not rest on their laurels, but to constantly commit to a process of excellence for the benefit of patients and their own teams.

Towards a safe and sustainable future of care

The introduced changes, whether it is the strengthening of mandatory criteria, the appearance of advanced criteria, or the new requirements in terms of digitization, cybersecurity, environmental health, perinatal care, antibiotic resistance, and mental health, demonstrate a desire for holistic and proactive improvement. They encourage hospitals to reflect more deeply on their practices, their organization, and their overall impact.

The success of this certification depends on rigorous preparation, involving a thorough self-assessment, the use of available resources and tools, and, above all, the mobilization and commitment of all teams. The hospital's governance plays a leading role, instilling a culture of quality and safety, supporting its professionals, and fostering internal and territorial collaboration.

More than a one-time validation, HAS certification is a powerful driver of continuous improvement, pushing hospitals to constantly evolve to offer increasingly relevant, safe, and patient-centered care. It is a path that contributes not only to the individual excellence of each structure but also to the overall performance of the French healthcare system, for a more sustainable and resilient future of care.