CARY, North Carolina—Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) has received continued approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national accrediting organization for its hospice and critical access hospital (CAH) programs. The ACHC said the six-year renewal, effective until 2031, is the longest term available.
“Earning continued deeming authority for hospice enables us to continue our work of validating quality for these providers,” said Susan Mills, senior program director for ACHC’s home-based care programs. “Our goal is to empower hospice organizations—through accreditation—to deliver exceptional, multidisciplinary, end-of-life care that meets the physical, psychosocial, spiritual and emotional needs of the patient and their family.”
Deeming authority allows ACHC-accredited hospice and CAH programs to demonstrate compliance with Medicare conditions of participation without undergoing routine state surveys. Instead, ACHC accreditation surveys bring a performance improvement lens to assessment of critical operational and clinical performance standards. With collaboration at the forefront, this approach adds educational value to the organization while ensuring quality and safety, according to ACHC.
“At a time when critical access hospitals face increasing regulatory complexity and operational pressures, this renewed deeming authority provides these vital providers with access to a streamlined path to accreditation,” said Deanna Scatena, program director for ACHC’s hospital-based accreditation programs. “ACHC focuses on practical application of the standards to maximize excellence in their patient care and safety. We understand how important these organizations are to their communities and we partner with each hospital to make the added value of ACHC accreditation achievable.”
ACHC also offers accreditation and certifications for related hospital services and specialty programs, including laboratory, pharmacy, sleep lab, joint replacement, stroke care and wound care.
To achieve continued CMS approval, ACHC underwent an extensive evaluation process, which included:
- A comprehensive review of ACHC’s accreditation standards to ensure alignment with federal regulations.
- An assessment of ACHC’s surveyor training and performance to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
- A comparison of ACHC’s accreditation process with CMS survey requirements, including monitoring noncompliance and responding to deficiencies.
- An analysis of ACHC’s ability to report survey findings and corrective actions in a timely manner.