By Dean Samet, CHSP
Effective September 26, 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced their decision to approve Det Norske Veritas Healthcare, Inc. (DNVHC) for recognition as a national accreditation organization for hospitals seeking to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This has provided another alternative for roughly 80% or more of the country’s hospitals that have looked primarily to The Joint Commission (TJC) for their hospital accreditation for over 50 years.
Accreditation by an accreditation organization is voluntary and is not required for Medicareparticipation. A hospital may opt for routine surveys by a state survey agency to determine whether it meets the Medicare requirements.
An alternative to state compliance surveys is certification by a nationally-recognized accreditation program that can substitute for ongoing state review. If an accreditation organization is recognized by CMS as having standards for accreditation that meet or exceed Medicare requirements, a provider entity accredited by the national accrediting body’s approved program may be deemed to meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs). Up until September 26, 2008, “deemed status” could only be achieved through TJC, CMS, state agencies, and the American Osteopathic Association’s HFAP (Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program).
DNVHC’s NIAHOSM (National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations) accreditation program is the first ever that combines the Medicare CoPs and the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Systems. This integrated concept provides hospitals with a unique approach to ensure compliance with the Medicare requirements and the necessary guidance to facilitate continuous quality improvement.
In just under 18 months, over 70 hospitals in the U.S. have been fully accredited through DNVHC’s NIAHOSM program. According to DNV Healthcare leaders, this is part of over 100 hospitals presently under contract.
For additional information, go to: http://www.dnvhealthcareinc.com/.
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