At ACHC, our Surveyors are truly experts in their fields. Accreditation Corporate Surveyor Randy Hughes is no exception. Hughes is a registered Respiratory Therapist with over 45 years of experience whose areas of expertise include quality management, operational efficiency and medical gas CGMP compliance. Hughes recently wrote an article for HomeCare Magazine that examined accreditation considerations for alternative delivery models in HME. Read a condensed version below, or click here to read the full article. Congratulations, Randy!
Here at ACHC, we like to think that our success speaks for itself. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to know others are speaking about it.
June 16, 2017. The Pharmacy Podcast (www.pharmacypodcast.com), the nation’s most popular and downloaded podcast on the pharmacy industry, today featured an informational segment about the upcoming PCAB Sterile and Non-Sterile Compounding / USP Compliance workshop to be held July 25-26, 2017 at Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy in Florham Park, New Jersey.
This spring, Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative Care became the first provider to achieve Accreditation Commission for Health Care’s newly launched Distinction in Palliative Care. For Denise Watson, MVHPC executive director, distinction has made a world of difference.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule on April 28, 2017, CMS-1677-P, which aims to provide consumers with more information to help them choose a healthcare provider. This proposed rule would require all Accrediting Organizations (AOs) with CMS deeming authority to post survey reports and acceptable plans of correction (POCs) on their websites. For more information on the proposed rule view the CMS fact sheet.
Big news in the sleep world has many providers wide awake. Recent changes to Medicare coverage policies for sleep studies will require sleep-specific accreditation for providers in 13 states. And it’s happening soon.
Effective June 5, 2017, sleep lab facilities in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and certain U.S. territories will have to have sleep-specific accreditation to be eligible for coverage.
To assist facilities in meeting this deadline, ACHC is offering accelerated sleep lab accreditation.
News of the recent worldwide cyberattack on the health sector in the UK has generated interest and inquiry in the US. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken the lead on collecting and disseminating useful information to healthcare constituencies since the discovery of this malicious attack on Friday. Although this iteration of the threat appears to be contained, ACHC encourages all healthcare providers to be vigilant in protecting against and reporting any cyber threats. Below is the update released by HHS.
May 12, 2017. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is monitoring a significant cyber attack that has focused primarily on health systems in Europe. At this point the agency is assessing impact to US health systems and providers as some information suggests this attack may have spread to other industries and regions. Until more is known ACHC advises all to remind their associates and staff of safe and robust cyber security practices. The agency has provided some resources to assist in recognizing threats as well as how to handle suspicious activity. Monitor ACHC’s Twitter page (https://twitter.com/achc) for current information affecting health care providers. Below is the advisory sent by HHS.
Bryan Prince knows that USP can be a bitter pill for the independent pharmacist to swallow. The owner of Lab·Red Pharmacy Consultants who is an expert in cleanroom design, chemical handling and workflow understands the challenges pharmacy owners face as they try to balance a commitment to worker safety with the realities of running a business.
At ACHC it’s our goal to be a partner throughout the entire process – before, during, and after accreditation. ACHC knows that once in your 3-year accreditation cycle, business operations adjust for market demands. Your company could move locations, add branch offices, adjust the services provided, or even purchase another entity. If anything changes with your business operations in your accreditation cycle, it is important to notify ACHC.
