Articles
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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.

Implementation Deadline Approaching for Adapting to Proficiency Testing Regulations
Clinical laboratories produce test results that are crucial to providers’ decision-making in ensuring patients receive consistently high-quality care. How do laboratories ensure providers receive consistently accurate test results? Laboratories conduct proficiency testing to meet CMS quality assurance rules, including rules now being updated.

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.

Why It Matters to Maintain Personnel Records
Maintaining personnel records for staff members is required to achieve ACHC Accreditation and meet applicable state and federal regulations.

Time Out: Working to Ensure Operating Room Mistakes Don’t Happen
Did you know that the “time-out” performed in healthcare operating rooms was adapted from the aviatio¬¬n industry’s practices? Aviation’s pre-flight checklist and communication protocols reduced errors and enhanced safety.

Heads Up, Laboratories! Dengue Virus, Novel Influenza, and More
On June 25, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) message about an increased risk of dengue virus (DENV) infections in the United States in 2024.

Meet Record Requirements? New Form Simplifies Survey Prep
Client/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 client/patient record reports during the opening conference.

U.S. Agencies Monitoring Avian Influenza While Measles and Mpox Demand Attention, Too
First, birds, of course. Then cows contracted A/H5 avian influenza. And now with a human case confirmed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is taking steps to help manufacturers prepare to mass produce devices for testing. And in the U.S. and elsewhere, measles and Mpox require watching, too.

CMS Extends Effective Date for New Hospice Requirements
New Medicare requirements for hospice certifying physicians will now take effect June 3, 2024, instead of the original May 1 effective date. CMS announced the action in an MLN newsletter on April 25.

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.