NIAZ accreditation
Through its accreditation system, the Dutch Institute for Accreditation of Hospitals (NIAZ) aims to stimulate healthcare institutions to improve and ensure the quality of patient care. Therefore, the NIAZ accreditation is the main quality mark for hospitals.
In 1999, the azM was the first Dutch hospital to be accredited by NIAZ. In 2005, it was also the first to be accredited by NIAZ for the second time. The NIAZ auditors referred to the improvement culture at the azM, reflected by the enthusiasm, dedication, efforts and commitment of its staff, and evident in the hospital's diversity of improvement projects and activities. The auditors also stated that the azM adequately ensures that agreements on procedures and communication are complied with. Both these items led to justified confidence in the quality and safety of the azM for patients, staff and visitors. Further positive matters mentioned in the NIAZ accreditation report included staff competence, staff relations, work climate, individual employees' quality assurance, and the emergency aid organisation.

azM Facility Services NEN ISO 9001: 2000 certified
azM's Facility Services supports the hospital's everyday functioning and primary process (i.e. the care process) by supplying housing facilities, products and services. In 2004, the department was NEN ISO 9001: 2000 certified. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization; its ISO 9001 certificate is an international quality mark.
In their report, the ISO auditors indicated that given the azM's experience with quality assurance within the framework of the Netherlands Quality Institute (INK) and the certification of patients' nutrition, its quality assurance system is well developed and organisation wide. They also acknowledged that, with the aid of action plans and improvement projects, the azM continually strives for improvement.
The award of this certificate shows that the azM is engaged in structural quality management (quality care, control and assurance). So, too, does the ongoing extension of this certification; it has now been extended by three years for the fourth time.

azM Catering ISO-22000 certified
The azM's Facility Services catering process group has received the new ISO-22000 certification, which recently replaced the HACCP and NEN-ISO-9001 standards that the catering must comply with. The azM is the second hospital in Netherlands to be awarded the ISO-22000 certificate.

azM Food OHSAS 18001 certified
In 2004 the azM's Facility Services food process group was the first academic hospital department certified according to the OHSAS 18001 standard. Short for Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series, OHSAS is an internationally recognised standard that aims to ensure safety and health in and around organizations. The award of the certificate means that the azM's working conditions are well organized, risks are inventoried, and staff are encouraged to learn from their experiences in a focused manner.

azM environmental policy ISO certified
In 2006 the azM's environmental policy was awarded the Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance ISO 14001 environmental certificate. This makes the azM the third Dutch hospital to have received this certificate (after the Utrecht UMC and the Slotervaart Hospital), which is an international quality standards award for companies with strict environment management systems. It thus confirms that the azM applies strict standards in its production, treatment and transport operations, and pays special attention to safeguarding staff's health, the environment, and the quality of its products and services.
The Lloyd's Register auditors acknowledged that the azM's Facility Services have been ensuring environmental safety for several years. This has resulted in certification of the hospital's facilities for utilities, hazardous substances, hazardous waste and waste materials management, water and soil protection management, and monitoring and assessment of environmental control facilities of the azM's primary (patient care) process and supporting processes.

HKZ certificate for the Dialysis Department
In 2000, azM's Dialysis Department was the first in the Netherlands to receive the HKZ certificate, a quality mark offering a basic quality guarantee. This shows that the department complies with all conditions necessary to provide optimal care, is client-centred as a matter of principle, and continually works to improve its care and services.

Bronze Quality Mark for azM recovery clinic
The azM's recovery clinic, located in Huize Blankenberg in Cadier and Keer, was awarded the Bronze Quality Mark in February 2007. The quality mark is an important incentive in improving the care, safety and wellbeing of people in nursing and residential homes. The award of this certificate means that care provision from a client perspective is demonstrably well organised at all levels of the organisation.

azM: the safest medication
In 2006 the azM was elected the safest hospital in the Netherlands with respect to medication. The Dutch Association of Hospital Pharmacists (NVZA) sent a 'medication safety checklist' to the 79 hospital pharmacists, who reported on about 90 institutions. From these, the azM was elected as the safest. With a response rate of no less than 94%, the results provide a good picture of medication safety in the Netherlands.