News Briefs: New accreditation for Critical Access Hospitals
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has launched a new accreditation program for Critical Access Hospitals, and the first surveys were conducted in December. JCAHO is seeking deemed status for the program from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Critical Access Hospitals, as outlined in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, are designed to provide limited, but essential health services to rural communities. These small facilities — patient census of less than 25 — are certified by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services as eligible for cost-based reimbursement from the Medicare program.
More than 400 existing hospitals nationwide already have converted to Critical Access Hospital status, and as many as 1,100 organizations may be eligible for this designation.
The new accreditation program is designed to meet the performance improvement and business needs of these particular hospitals, many of which are currently accredited by JCAHO as acute care hospitals. Critical Access Hospitals will be surveyed for compliance with standards specifically adapted for these organizations and those that are in conformance with the Medicare requirements for these special hospitals. JCAHO also developed a cost-effective survey process based on the pre-survey review of relevant information and a focused on-site review of compliance with standards.
"JCAHO is sensitive to the special issues of Critical Access Hospitals. We are also mindful that most Critical Access Hospitals will likely seek insurance reimbursement from sources other than the Medicare program. JCAHO accreditation can be a tremendous asset in that process," says Kurt Patton, executive director, Hospital Accreditation Services, JCAHO.
The new accreditation program is based on JCAHO’s own experience in evaluating small and rural hospitals and on extensive field input and test surveys. JCAHO also sought feedback from its Hospital Professional and Technical Advisory Committee and the Work Group on Accreditation Issues for Small and Rural Hospitals.
Critical Access Hospitals must meet a specific set of federal participation conditions in order to participate in and receive payment from the Medicare program. National accrediting bodies, such as JCAHO, which successfully demonstrate to CMS that they are meeting federal requirements, may be granted deeming authority. If JCAHO is successful in achieving deeming authority for Critical Access Hospitals, such JCAHO-accredited hospitals would not be subject to the Medicare survey and certification process. JCAHO has had deeming authority for hospitals since the inception of the Medicare program in the 1960s.
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