On an annual basis, ACHC reviews the standards for each accreditation program to ensure relevancy. Generally the revisions are minor and include additions, deletions, and clarifications. The 2019 revisions were released February 1. All deletions and clarifications became effective February 1. New standards and additions to standards become effective June 1.
Below is a partial list of revisions, by program:
Home Health
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| HH1-8A | Added the word organization/organizations to the standard regarding the written agreement requirements. | February 1, 2019 |
| HH2-6B.02 | Clarified in the standard that a written policy and procedure regarding providing the patient with information about advance directives. | February 1, 2019 |
| HH4-1B.01 | Clarified direct patient care to be the care of a patient provided personally by a staff member or contracted individual/organization in a patient’s residence or healthcare facility. Direct patient care may involve any aspects of the health care of a patient, including treatments, counseling, self-care, patient education, and administration of medication. | February 1, 2019 |
| HH4-2H.01 | Replaced the word “contact” with “care” as it related to criminal background checks. | February 1, 2019 |
Hospice
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| HSP1-8A | Added the word organization/organizations to the standard to be consistent with the Medicare Conditions of Participation §418.100(e) regarding the written agreement requirements. | February 1, 2019 |
| HSP4-1B.01 | Clarified direct patient care to be the care of a patient provided personally by a staff member or contracted individual/organization in a patient’s residence or healthcare facility. Direct patient care may involve any aspects of the health care of a patient, including treatments, counseling, self-care, patient education, and administration of medication. | February 1, 2019 |
| HSP4-2H | Replaced the word “contact” with “care” as it related to criminal background checks. | February 1, 2019 |
| HSP4-14A | Added physician assistants as an allowable individual that the interdisciplinary group may confer with regarding the patient’s medication management. | February 1, 2019 |
| HSP5-1B | Decreased the retention of medical records to six years from the date of the most recent discharge of death of the patient from seven years. | February 1, 2019 |
| HSP6-3A | Removed the requirement that the annual QAPI report is included in the hospice’s annual evaluation. | February 1, 2019 |
| HSP7-4F | Changed the Hospice standards referenced in the interpretation to the correct Hospice standards; HSP7-3A to HSP7-4B, HSP7-3B to HSP7-4C, HSP7-3C toHSP7-4D, and HSP7-3D to HSP7-4E, respectively. | February 1, 2019 |
Private Duty
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| HH1-8A | Added the word organization/organizations to the standard regarding the written agreement requirements. | February 1, 2019 |
| HH2-6B.02 | Clarified in the standard that a written policy and procedure regarding providing the patient with information about advance directives. | February 1, 2019 |
| HH4-1B.01 | Clarified direct patient care to be the care of a patient provided personally by a staff member or contracted individual/organization in a patient’s residence or healthcare facility. Direct patient care may involve any aspects of the health care of a patient, including treatments, counseling, self-care, patient education, and administration of medication. | February 1, 2019 |
| HH4-2H.01 | Replaced the word “contact” with “care” as it related to criminal background checks. | February 1, 2019 |
DMEPOS
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| DRX3-4B | Added clarification regarding the requirements for notifying clients/patients of their financial responsibilities | February 1, 2019 |
| DRX4-7A | Added requirement for annual competency assessment to be conducted for personnel who clean, test and/or repair equipment | June 1, 2019 |
Pharmacy
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| DRX3-4B | Added clarification regarding the requirements for notifying clients/patients of their financial responsibilities | February 1, 2019 |
| DRX7-8J.01 | New standard for IRX, SRX, and SRXOnly that adds quality control measures to assure proper medication labeling | June 1, 2019 |
Sleep
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| SLC4-6A | Added clarification that all technicians scoring sleep studies must be credentialed as required by standard | February 1, 2019 |
PCAB
| Standard | Change | Effective Date |
| TCRX7-A & B | Changed the requirement for the submission of continued compliance data from annual submission to submission during the mid-point in the accreditation cycle | June 1, 2019 |
ACHC has posted a complete list of updated standards, for each program, in the 2019 Standards Update Reference Guides. Access the Standards Update Reference Guides in your Customer Central account by selecting the "Resources" tab, then choosing the “Education Library” dropdown, then choosing your program within the "Educational Tools" section, and then clicking on the 2019 update.
If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact your Account Advisor.
