Articles
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Minimize Variability to Maximize IDG Meetings
The plan of care is a dynamic document that directs the services provided by the hospice to meet the goals of the patient and the patient’s family/caregiver. The plan of care requires an understanding of the patient’s and family/caregiver’s goals for hospice care.
Be Prepared for Medicare NPE Validation Visits – Part 3: Complaint Procedures
To continue discussing preparation for Medicare National Provider Enrollment (NPE) site visits, let’s turn to the section of the site investigation document dealing with complaints. DME suppliers must have a complaint policy and a written or electronic document to log complaints received and the supplier’s response.
Avoiding Medical Record Errors in Office-Based Surgery Settings
Maintaining comprehensive medical records is essential to safe, high-quality care that meets accreditation standards and HIPAA requirements, and would serve as effective legal documentation, if needed.
Mastering Informed Consent
Questions posed during ACHCU’s monthly Coffee Chat live webinar often serve to reveal opportunities to extend education and develop additional resources for ACHC-accredited hospitals. In March 2025, the topic was medical record documentation.
Excellence in Hospice Care: The Plan of Care
Individualized, holistic support is the foundation of quality hospice care and this depends on a well-structured and continuously updated plan of care. Hospice Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) and the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) Hospice Standards together guide hospice providers in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.
Be Prepared for Medicare NPE Validation Visits – Part 2
In August 2024, we wrote about how to prepare for Medicare National Provider Enrollment (NPE) validation or revalidation visits. A continuing uptick in PTAN suspensions and revocations and recent revisions to the site investigation document makes preparing for these inspection visits with thorough planning and attention to detail more important than ever.
Why Your Accreditation End Date Matters
Achieving accreditation is regarded as one of the key benchmarks for measuring the quality of an organization. Once initial accreditation is achieved, it is not permanent and must be maintained and renewed to ensure continued compliance. ACHC Accreditation is valid for a 36-month time period but preparation for renewal should begin at least nine months before the expiration date. Resources are available to help you prepare.
Advance Directives Require Important Considerations
Advance directives rank among the most important legal documents in the healthcare setting. They come into use when a patient is incapacitated and cannot provide informed consent for care or cannot actively participate in care planning. Among the various types of advance directives, the most common in the healthcare setting are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care.
Clinical Leadership Has an Essential Role in Nursing Services for Surgical Settings
Clinical leadership is a critical role for ensuring patient safety in the surgical setting, and, in many cases, it’s a requirement of state and federal regulations.
Another Site Visit? Be Prepared for Medicare Validation Visits
CMS requires the National Providers Enrollment (NPE) agencies to conduct site visits as part of the process to validate a DMEPOS supplier’s Medicare enrollment.