Here are five key notes:
1. The transaction received Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approval and for the first time allowed two organizations with deeming authority to become one.
2. The transaction is effective immediately with management and operations of HFAP now under AAHHS direction.
3. HFAP currently accredits more than 400 acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals and laboratories. The organization has had deeming authority since CMS was created in 1965.
4. Current HFAP customers are expected to see a smooth transition to the new ownership with no immediate changes beyond the ownership transfer. There aren’t any workforce changes planned for either staff teams.
5. CMS is expected to provide guidance and support throughout the transaction so there won’t be any disruption of service as AAHHS finalizes its deeming authority applications.
6. The AOA will continue as an operational partner until AAHHS receives deeming authority for HFAP services. HFAP will continue to operate from its headquarters in Chicago during the transition.
“The type of organizations accredited by HFAP present little overlap with the AAHHS target audience, which means that the two organizations will complement each other perfectly to form a strong and powerful presence in the marketplace,” said AAHHS CEO and President Stephen A. Martin Jr., PhD. AAHHS is a sister organization to the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care sister organization focused on hospitals with fewer than 200 beds and daily average census of less than 100.
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