Innovations in healthcare help efforts to deliver effective and efficient services, an increasing policy imperative at a time of decreasing financial resources, ageing population and increasing expectations. At the same time, institutions have developed standards to help improve diagnosis, treatment and care. This article explores whether and how accreditation to international standards is used to leverage innovation, what type of change it fosters and what the main issues to be considered are. Evidence was collected from an oncological centre in Italy, a research institute at the forefront of innovation and among the first ones to acquire international recognition.
