...………………………………………3 Accreditation Bodies……………………………………………………………………………...4 Literature review………………….…………………………………………………………….....4 Challenges that are experienced in achieving and maintaining accreditation…………………..…5 The role of the URAC as an Accreditation Body………………………………………………....5 How the URAC accredits healthcare institutions….........................................................................6 Quality assessment and control solutions in accreditation ……………………………………......8 Implementation of quality improvement and accreditation solutions…………………………......9 Justification…………………………………….…………………………………………………10 Summary and conclusion……………………….…...……………………………………………10 References ………………………………………………………………………………………..11 Achieving and Maintaining Accreditation in Managed Care Managed healthcare organizations and professionals encounter numerous challenges on a yearly basis in the course of offering services, whereas the state, stakeholders, and clients (patients) expect to be reassured that bodies that render managed healthcare services are well equipped to meet their demands. Accreditation is, therefore, a detailed evaluation process through which an independent professional body or authority assesses another organization’s systems, structures, and procedures to certify that it satisfies the set industry criteria and standards (Bialek, Duffy & Moran, 2009). The evaluation and accreditation processes that are conducted by bodies such as URAC help in maintaining...
Words: 2121 - Pages: 9
...Regulating and Accreditating Agencies In Nursing Education January 21, 2013 Regulatory agencies and accreditation bodies have been used to guide and enforce nursing practice and education for years. Nursing practice regulation was started to protect nurses and the communities they serve in. Today, the primary purpose of regulation has remained virtually unchanged, but now “also relates to defining nursing practices as well as nursing education” (Flook, 2003, p. 161). Regulation agencies play many roles in nursing educational settings. Accrediting agencies help students ensure that they are choosing a school program that practices competent, professional nursing practices. Choosing a nursing program that is accredited ensures that the curricula and education received conforms to certain requirements and provides comfort to students, knowing that their investments in their education is not wasted (University of San Francisco, 2011). Regulatory Agencies A regulatory agency creates and “enforces rules or regulations that carry the full force of the law”. “The ultimate goal of nursing regulation is to protect the public from harm” (Flook, 2003, p. 163). The Boards of Nursing (BON) were established over 100 years ago to protect the health of the public by supervising and ensuring safe nursing practice. Boards of Nursing were established to enforce regulations for the unsafe, unethical, and incompetent nursing practices. The BON is a very influential...
Words: 1232 - Pages: 5
...standards is called Accreditation. It is also a mechanism that seeks to reassure external stock holders that quality and safety standards are demonstrated. A secondary and more recent goal in some applications, notably health care, is to provide a basis for quality improvement initiatives. Accreditation is an element in a network of activities that seeks to regulate conduct in the health sector. Health organizations, and individual professionals, are networked together, and their behavior is assessed by independent bodies through accreditation programs, standards,...
Words: 1261 - Pages: 6
...entity, separate and distinct from the health care organization, usually non-governmental, assesses the health care organization to determine if it meets a set of standard requirements designed to improve quality of care. In other words, an accrediting body is an independent 3rd party that measures and rates the regulations, safety guidelines, and practices of a service or business—in this case, medical facilities. Think of it as a stamp of approval verifying the authenticity and quality of services. A restaurant in the US can’t open unless it passes certain health inspection codes, and a lawyer can’t begin practicing until he or she has passed a qualifying exam. The same is true with medical practitioners and facilities. They must demonstrate to accrediting bodies that they possess the personnel, resources, training, experience, and regulatory understanding to provide quality medical treatment to patients. Hospitals that lack accreditation are hospitals worth avoiding. However, JCAHO is not the only accrediting organization out there. There are agencies that focus on region, specialty, and country (healism.com). Which facilities can be accredited Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) has been accrediting Managed Care Organizations for more that 10 years. The Joint Commission network organizations throughout the United States, including MCO’s, managed behavioral health care organizations, integrated delivery...
Words: 1614 - Pages: 7
...Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Sandy Markert HCS/212 March 31, 2013 Corinne McTier Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO was founded in 1951 as a private nonprofit organization that established guidelines for the running and management of hospitals and health care facilities in the United States. According to its website (n.d.), JCAHO’s primary mission is, “To continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.” Through its onsite surveys, JCAHO accredits approximately 20,000 healthcare programs and facilities each year nationwide. The groundwork for the establishment of JCAHO began in 1910 when Ernest Codman, M.D. recommended an “end result system of hospital standardization” (The Joint Commission, n.d.), a process in which patients were tracked to determine if the treatment they received while in the hospital was successful or not and thus could be used to treat similar cases. In 1913 the American College of Surgeons (ACS) was established and adopted Dr. Codman’s “end result” system and by 1918 it began inspecting hospitals. These initial surveys determined that only 89 of the 692 facilities it inspected at the time met the minimum...
Words: 1203 - Pages: 5
...hands and in our collective ability to project and match the right numbers of PhD and DNP degrees. “Schools of nursing, with support from private and public funders, academic administrators and university trustees, and accrediting bodies, should double the number of nurses with masters and doctorate degree by 2020 to add to the cadre of nurse faculty and researchers, with attention to increasing diversity” (Institute of Medicine. 2011). “Nursing education should serve as a platform for continued lifelong learning and include opportunities for seamless transition to higher degree programs” (Institute of Medicine. 2011). “The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission should monitor the progress of each accredited nursing school to ensure that at least 10 percent of all baccalaureate graduates matriculate into a master’s or doctoral program within 5 years of graduation.” (Institute of Medicine. 2011). Also, it would be not only for nurses to receive this training but rather for others in the healthcare field to encourage nurses to take on advanced practice education. Nurses with advanced degrees e.g. doctorate in nursing would be highly needed to educate future generation of nurses. Reference: Institute of Medicine. The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Retrieved from https://iom.nationalacademies.org/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Future%20of%20Nursing%202010%20Recommendations...
Words: 277 - Pages: 2
...collection is an important activity in every sector including the health sector. The basic principles of data collection include the acquisition of public health data and its legitimate use or disclosure. The data collection programs should also involve collecting minimal personal information to be applied in the surveys. The data collection programs should use strong and effective policies to ensure that privacy and confidentiality of personal data are not infringed (Cdc.gov, 2015). The data collection activity should also ensure that they respect the rights of patients, individuals or even communities involved in the data collection. The data collection activity should ensure that the whole process upholds the desired level of quality. The period of reporting and presenting the results should also be predetermined in advance. Data collection should also ensure that the data is legitimately used and that it entails the creation of data-use agreements. The collected data should be kept securely and analyzed efficiently. The end users of the data should also ensure that the data is analyzed and recommendations made (Cdc.gov, 2015). In the health sector, it is crucial to measure the performance of patient care and their services using the best methods and tools. It helps in establishing the effects of healthcare on the expected outcomes. The processes also assist in determining the level to which the health care aligns to the methods being applied. The tools and measures also...
Words: 1096 - Pages: 5
...ensures strengthening the systems through analyzes and processes. This quality improvement discussion will review the purpose of quality management in health care industry and why it is needed. Included in this QI report will be an explanation of the differences in stakeholder definitions of quality. Also the explanation of the various roles involved with QI will be reviewed. Explaining what areas must be monitored to ensure quality improvement standards will be addressed. Furthermore, identifying roles of the various accrediting and regulatory organizations will be evaluated. Finally, this QI report will identify helpful resources and organizations that affect QI and outcomes. Purpose of Quality Management and why it’s Needed in Health Care Quality management is essential to the success of the quality improvement of the health care industry. “Management uses management and planning tools to organize the decision making process and create a hierarchy when faced with competing priorities “(Ransom, et al., 2008). Quality measures should have goals that are effective, safe, efficient, and patient-centered. Without quality management, the health care industry would be unregulated and quality of care would be poor; the financial cost would be ineffective and high. Patients would not receive the care deserved and many health care organizations would not exist. As stated by...
Words: 960 - Pages: 4
...Public Health Accreditation September 14, 2012 Accreditation may be defined as “the periodic issuance of credentials or endorsements to organizations that meet a specified set of performance standards.” (Novick and Mays, Public Health Administration, p. 765). And I personally feel that having accrediting bodies in the field of public health secures our society and the public health departments can play a very important role in promoting and preserving health. The Public Health Accreditation Board was established to help lead to quality public health in communities. Accreditation can lead to quality improvement in public health if specific criteria’s are mandated. To understand the relationship between accreditation and quality improvement, the potential strengths and limitations of the accreditation process should be evaluated. Public Health accreditation can yield maximum benefits and the impact of accreditation on various levels of public health outcomes. The existing accreditation programs in other industries show limited but encouraging evidence that accreditation will improve quality and strengthen the delivery of public health services. Accreditation in public health can be informed by other accredited industries but the public health field has its own set of challenges. Strategies and incentives like creating financing options and having a strong leadership will allow greater access to accreditation by all public health departments. The suggested accreditation...
Words: 416 - Pages: 2
...important decision and a life changing event. Therefore attending a college that offers accredited degrees can make a huge difference in a person’s future. A college program that is not accredited can mean, you are not eligible for federal financial aid, may not be able to transfer credits to another college or university, and you may not be able to attain an appropriate professional licensure in your field. This is why it is important for students to be aware of the type of accreditation offered by schools or the lack of accreditation missing by them. Therefore it is important to know the difference be the two types of accreditations. An institutional accredited program achieves its accreditation through representatives from dedicated accrediting institutions evaluate colleges and universities. This is a means for colleges and universities to assess their own performance and compare themselves to other schools. Before being granted institutional accreditation status, all aspects of a college or university are evaluated. If a school is awarded accreditation means that the institution meets certain standards of educational quality. In addition, institutional accreditation is more comprehensive and indicates that the institution has achieved quality standards in areas of faculty, administration, curriculum, students’ services and over financial well-being and is held in high regards in the world of education. However, institutional accreditation is not necessarily a guarantee that...
Words: 1499 - Pages: 6
...How History Applies Chaudette Miller Walden Foundations: The Changing Context of Postsecondary and Adult Teaching and Learning EDUC 8005 Dr. James Crosby October 08, 2012 How History Applies The first recorded history of nursing education takes place approximately 2,000 years ago, in 250 B.C. The first school of nursing was established in India for men to provide restorative and preventive care for soldiers and the general population O’Lynn (as cited in Bosher & Pharris, 2009, p. 11). Although there is recorded evidence that such a school existed, nursing education did not make a significant appearance until Florence Nightingale received funding to start a school of nursing in conjunction with St. Thomas Hospital after the Crimean war. The school of nursing was to ''enable her to establish an institution for the training, sustenance, and protection of nurses and hospital attendants” (Nutting & Dock, 1907). In America, the civil war was the impetus for the establishment of nurse training schools. In the early 1900's, nursing education was received primarily from hospitals rather than colleges or universities and was based loosely on the model created by Florence Nightingale. Service, not education was the primary objective (Nutting & Dock, 1907). Nursing education faced many challenges from its inception, particularly from physicians who recognized the need for nursing care, but feared if nurses were given too much education the nurse would displace...
Words: 814 - Pages: 4
...Standards and Conditions of Participation Within the 10th amendment it is expressed that the states, not the federal government, have the primary responsibility for public health. Each state, therefore, has a division or agency that promotes patient safety and high quality healthcare which is carried out by conducting on-site surveys. In addition to the state requirements, there are also federal licensing and certification programs which require that performance standards be met in both providing healthcare and in the physical structure and maintenance of the healthcare facility (LaTour, Eichenwald & Oachs, 2013). Widespread application of healthcare standards however, did not occur until 1946 when Congress passed the Hill-Burton Hospital Survey and Construction Act (Healthlawyers.org, 2015). For example, one criteria to receive federal grants and loans from the Hill-Burton fund is that states were required to license entities to ensure that hospital facilities adhered to a set of minimum quality and service requirements. By setting these standards for licensing, healthcare started its journey towards improving and standardizing the health and safety of individuals receiving services. Medicare, a federal health insurance program that pays for many types of health care expenses, is an entitlement program in which U.S. citizens earn the right to enroll by working and paying their taxes for a minimum required time period. Enacted in 1965, Congress decided that minimum standards...
Words: 385 - Pages: 2
...healthcare institution; we must consider factors that contribute to an institution becoming accredited. For example, the services an institution offers, staff to patient ratios, medical equipment used (technological resources), utilizing best practices that aims to reduce patient outcomes and cost, these factors may all contribute to higher standards thus validating accreditation. Healthcare organizations are prone to medical errors, as seen in the Virginia Mason Case. Although medical errors may occur, continuous quality improvement efforts seek to ensure medical errors of the same nature do not occur repetitively. “Hospitals deliver a number of reports on quality of care to accrediting bodies and independent agencies for quality recognitions and ratings so managed care companies, CMS, and the public have reliable information to judge the quality of care” (2014). For this discussion, I chose WellStar Healthcare system and Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation. WellStar Cobb...
Words: 473 - Pages: 2
...governs health care. Particular agency governs health care. The following agency has a place in governing the health care industry and the people of the world. The paper shall begin with the agency role and structure and follow with the impact it effects within the health care industry. The agency that will be discussed in the paper is center for disease control. (CDC). After the completion of the effect the discussion will transfer into what the duties are of this agency along with the regulations that are governed by the other agencies involved with the CDC. Along with the final part which, will be the accreditation of the agency and how they affect the public. To begin first point or item expressed her is the agency’s role. Level one - the agency’s role or structure. The agencies’ role or information given by The Cdc - Laws and Regulations (2012) It is your single source for accurate, timely, consistent, and science-based information on a wide variety of disease prevention and health promotion topics. The subsidiary to this agency is the department of health and human services when asked or told by the CDC has the responsibility for preventing the introduction, transmission, and spread of communicable diseases in the United States along with other countries and allies. This agency has many other agencies’ attached or associated to them and what they do with the main agency which is to help in the operation of quarantine service to the health and well...
Words: 1403 - Pages: 6
...campaign, President Obama argued for health care reform by saying that health care is a right. In the outcome of healthcare reform, Americans ask the question; how can we pay for healthcare reform? This is a continuous debate on the Senate floor, and American politicians have many differences and if not solved it will continue to hinder the progress of healthcare reform. Both republicans and democrats are at debate over quality of healthcare. Many think American government is trying to take over. Health care is an incredibly intense industry. Every patient contact, care experience, and outcome must be documented in an accurate way. Accrediting bodies such as Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations review documentation to assess compliance with standards of care for a quality assurance. If a hospital is not accredited by Joint Commission Accreditation Healthcare organization it cannot receive healthcare which means healthcare record keeping is crucial. Patient record keeping is complex and complicated. Methods of organizing patient information require teamwork and the ability to track patient encounters from the time the patient is admitted until the patient is discharged. Healthcare quality may be defined in many diverse ways with differing implications for healthcare providers, providers, patients, third party payers policy makers, and other stakeholders. First high quality health services should accomplish desired health outcomes for individuals, matching...
Words: 995 - Pages: 4
