CARF now accredits home health providers
Standards issued for rehab programs
If your home health agency has an organized rehabilitation program, you could apply for accreditation for that program from the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission.
CARF, based in Tucson, AZ, has issued standards for accreditation of home- and community-based rehabilitation programs. These standards are the first that CARF has issued for care that takes place outside of a clinical setting.
CARF made the decision to develop home- and community-based standards because of the shift in care to venues away from the acute rehabilitation hospital, says Christine M. MacDonell, national director for the medical rehabilitation division.
"The need for value-driven rehabilitation services is important for consumers," MacDonell says.
The CARF home- and community-based standards mark the first opportunity home health providers not connected with a rehabilitation facility have had to apply for CARF accreditation. Later this year, CARF will begin a program to educate providers of care in the home and community setting on the benefits of CARF accreditation, MacDonell adds.
The standards went into effect July 1, 1996. As of early 1997, one rehab home health provider had been accredited and three others had applied for accreditation for their home- and community-based programs.
Organized rehabilitation programs within home health agencies are eligible for the accreditation, MacDonell says. Full-service home health agencies could choose to have just their rehabilitation program accredited, she adds.
Established in 1996, CARF accredits individual programs within an organization, whereas the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, accredits organizations.
To meet CARF standards, community- and home-based programs must be case-managed and must interact with many service providers and others outside their own programs and organizations. The emphasis is on communication between all interested parties, and on education of caregivers and patients to manage their own care.
The home- and community-based standards are the first from CARF that address service provider safety and personal security, because staff are in the community, as opposed to being in a clinical setting, MacDonell says.
Among issues addressed by the standards are personal security, safety of the community, dealing with weather conditions, earthquakes, and floods, and the personal physical safety of the provider.
Organizations interested in seeking accreditation should contact CARF for a general packet of information describing the organization’s standards and accreditation process.
CARF also offers free technical assistance by phone for quality managers preparing for the survey, as well educational seminars at sites around the country throughout the year. CARF 101 is a seminar that describes what surveyors look for, and features an in-depth review of all standards that apply to the programs.
Programs seeking accreditation from CARF must meet standards in five sections:
• Organization quality: These include governance, management, strategic planning, fiscal accountability, personnel, and safety.
• Program quality: These address the "rehab process" from intake and on through assessment, planning, and discharge.
• Outcome measurement and management: All CARF-accredited programs must have an outcome system in place and operational at the time of survey. The system must at least address effectiveness, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and follow-up of people served.
• General program standards: These should address designated staff, inservice needs, and policies and procedures.
• Specific program standards: This addresses the standards for the specific program for which the organization is seeking accreditation.
The standards were developed by a national advisory committee including people from across a wide range of interest in the rehabilitation field. The standards were released for review by people in the rehab field in 1995 and were published in January, 1996.
As of early 1997, one program had received accreditation and three applications were pending, says MacDonell.
[Editor’s note: For more information, contact CARF at 4891 East Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85712. Telephone: (520) 325-1044.]
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