Articles
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Survey Ready? New Checklist Simplifies Record Preparation
Patient records are a vital part of the accreditation survey process. When a Surveyor arrives for your on-site survey, your organization must provide several patient record reports during the opening conference.
A new ACHC checklist is available to help you assess your organization’s compliance with patient record requirements.

Have a Plan for When You Must Write a Plan of Correction
Nobody is perfectly perfect. Nearly all organizations surveyed for accreditation are cited for deficiencies. To get back on the right track, the organization must develop an effective Plan of Correction (POC) for each deficiency and promptly submit it for approval before a final accreditation status can be determined. It’s a process.

CMS Publishes Final Rule Updating CLIA Regulations
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published final rule CMS-3326-F to update Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) regulations. Topics include the CLIA fee and alternative sanctions, along with histocompatibility and personnel requirements.

Updated Standards for Hospice, Renal Dialysis
Standards for ACHC community-based accreditation programs have been released for 2024 and are now available to download from your customer portal. While most standards are unchanged, updates were made to standards for two programs — Hospice and Renal Dialysis Accreditation.

Got Safety Plans? Waterborne Pathogens Can Spread Infection
As essential as water is to any hospital, this crucial element also can be a threat to patient safety. Waterborne pathogens – including multidrug-resistant organisms – can spread in seemingly innocuous ways. Having safety plans is essential.

Personnel Background Checks Enhance Safety
Clients and patients depend on you to deliver excellent services in a secure environment. Performing background checks on personnel validates your commitment to providing safe, quality care.

Acute Care Hospital: Unraveling the Mysteries of Informed Consent
In the healthcare industry, informed consent has been a hot topic for decades. When is consent required? Who can obtain it? When should it be obtained? What needs to be addressed in the discussion? What elements should be in an acute care hospital’s informed consent policy? Who is legally allowed to sign the form?

Preparation Key to Effectively Handling Emergencies
ACHC Standards and Medicare Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) require organizations to develop an emergency preparedness plan.

CMS Changing CLIA Proficiency Testing Regulations
Staff and administrators of some clinical laboratories will have rules changes to keep up with in the months ahead as Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) proficiency testing regulations take effect.

Reviewing the Most Common Home Care Deficiency
Home care agencies are often cited during an accreditation survey for care and services not being delivered in accordance with the client’s/patient’s plan of care, according to the latest The Surveyor newsletter published by Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).