The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care has announced plans to discontinue its 6-month and 1-year accreditation terms in favor of 3-year terms with increased accountability.
While the association's previous process offered the shorter terms to facilities who'd earned accreditation but showed some deficiencies, this policy change requires facilities in that situation to submit a plan for improvement within 10 days of the accreditation decision and to pass an interim survey in order to determine whether a full 3-year term will be honored or revoked.
The aim of the change is, in part, to eliminate the negative perception some insurers have of facilities which have earned the shorter terms, says the AAAHC.
The scope and process of AAAHC surveys will not be affected by the change, says the organization, nor will facilities' ability to appeal denials. The change is scheduled to take effect for facilities that apply for accreditation on or after March 1, 2012, or who are surveyed on or after July 1, 2012.
David Bernard
