The Joint Commission has released the 2014 Survey Activity Guide for ambulatory healthcare organizations.
According to Michael Kulczycki, executive director of the ambulatory care accreditation program at The Joint Commission, this is the first guide that has been produced specifically for ambulatory care organizations.
"The purpose of the guide is to provide one place for information for existing customers and customers who are entering the program for the first time," says Mr. Kulczycki.
The guide includes information to help organizations prepare for the arrival of the surveyor. It breaks out each of the survey activities into different sections and details them. It gives an ambulatory care organization an idea of how long each activity will take, who is expected to take part and where the surveyor will be focusing his or her attention.
"For example, the administrator does not need to be involved in all two or three days of the survey and many organizations don't know that," says Mr. Kulczycki.
The guide details various aspects of the survey, including how the individual tracer is conducted. The individual tracer involves the surveyor taking a patient's record of care and following the patient through an episode of care at the facility. The surveyors also speak with the staff members who have dealt with the patient. The guide talks about the types of topics that the surveyor will discuss with the staff during the interviews, according to Mr. Kulczycki.
The guide includes a survey document list, which is a checklist of 15 documents to have on hand for the surveyors so that he or she isn't waiting around.
"One of our surveyors once said that instead of having dead time while looking for documents wouldn't [the organization] rather have that time used by the surveyor in providing education or consultative input to the leaders or the staff?" says Mr. Kulczycki.
Administrators can use the information in the guide to become more confident about the survey process and help staff members prepare more thoroughly. "Ultimately, it's the fear of the unknown," he says. "You have applied for accreditation, you have studied the standards and you have prepared to the best of your ability but you don't know exactly what will happen on those two or three days of the survey. This guide gives organizations a sense of what it will be like."
For more information and to download the guide, visit The Joint Commission website.
AAAHC Approved to Accredit Qualified Health Plans
AAAHC Accredits GastroIntestinal Healthcare
According to Michael Kulczycki, executive director of the ambulatory care accreditation program at The Joint Commission, this is the first guide that has been produced specifically for ambulatory care organizations. "The purpose of the guide is to provide one place for information for existing customers and customers who are entering the program for the first time," says Mr. Kulczycki.
The guide includes information to help organizations prepare for the arrival of the surveyor. It breaks out each of the survey activities into different sections and details them. It gives an ambulatory care organization an idea of how long each activity will take, who is expected to take part and where the surveyor will be focusing his or her attention.
"For example, the administrator does not need to be involved in all two or three days of the survey and many organizations don't know that," says Mr. Kulczycki.
The guide details various aspects of the survey, including how the individual tracer is conducted. The individual tracer involves the surveyor taking a patient's record of care and following the patient through an episode of care at the facility. The surveyors also speak with the staff members who have dealt with the patient. The guide talks about the types of topics that the surveyor will discuss with the staff during the interviews, according to Mr. Kulczycki.
The guide includes a survey document list, which is a checklist of 15 documents to have on hand for the surveyors so that he or she isn't waiting around.
"One of our surveyors once said that instead of having dead time while looking for documents wouldn't [the organization] rather have that time used by the surveyor in providing education or consultative input to the leaders or the staff?" says Mr. Kulczycki.
Administrators can use the information in the guide to become more confident about the survey process and help staff members prepare more thoroughly. "Ultimately, it's the fear of the unknown," he says. "You have applied for accreditation, you have studied the standards and you have prepared to the best of your ability but you don't know exactly what will happen on those two or three days of the survey. This guide gives organizations a sense of what it will be like."
For more information and to download the guide, visit The Joint Commission website.
More Articles on Accreditation:
AAAASF Accredits Atlantic Plastic Surgery CenterAAAHC Approved to Accredit Qualified Health Plans
AAAHC Accredits GastroIntestinal Healthcare