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WHY BECOME ACCREDITED?
Most of us have been
through some sort of accreditation or survey process and know
the enormous amount of preparation time it takes. So,
why do it?
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Large
purchasers of healthcare (employers) want to ensure that
their employee health benefits are contracted with providers
who provide quality service and have the data to back it
up.
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Insurance payers are also looking to contract
with evidence-based providers those with the volume and a
quality track record.
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Accreditation by certain organizations can be used to
negotiate with third-party payers.
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Being accredited is a great marketing tool.
Many accrediting organizations have a certification mark or
seal which can be added to company letterhead as well
as camera-ready ads available for marketing
use.
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Many healthcare professionals and organizations
predict that, in the near future, whether a facility is
accredited or not will determine if it is chosen as a
provider.
ACCREDITATION
INITIATIVE
The Radiation Oncology Division at the
Navy Medical Center, San Diego (NMCSD), united with the
American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in an
accreditation agreement to eliminate redundant evaluations of
radiation oncology programs. According to the terms of the
agreement, JCAHO will accept ACR accreditation decisions in
the following critical performance areas: patients' rights,
assessment and care of patients, peer review process and the
continuum of radiation oncology care. NMCSD is one of
only 10 percent of the radiation oncology programs that are
accredited nationwide and the first Department of Defense site
to earn the joint ACR and JCAHO accreditation.
The Results:
The joint
accreditation recognizes the radiology oncology team for its
quality program, ensures that redundant inspections will no
longer be necessary and helps to ensure patients are receiving
superb treatment. Success in this area also lays the
foundation for development of joint accreditation agreements
in other specialty areas.
Hidden Treasure: Joint
Radiation Oncology Accreditation Agreement
Category:
Administrative Reference Number: 99049
ACCREDITING ORGANIZATIONS
American
College of Radiology (ACR) - www.acr.org
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The 30,000 members of the American College of
Radiology include radiologists, radiation oncologists and
medical physicists. For over three quarters of a century,
the ACR has devoted its resources to making imaging safe,
effective and accessible to those who need it.
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ACR standards are available for download on their web
site.
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Survey fees are $8000 for the main facility and $2000
for each additional site.
American College of Radiation Oncologists
(ACRO) - www.acro.org
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Founded in 1989 with a current membership of
approximately 1,700, the American College of Radiation
Oncology is the only organization that exclusively, and
uniquely, represents radiation oncologists in the
socioeconomic and political sphere without influence from
any other specialty.
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ACRO standards are available for download on their
web site.
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Fee schedule: Single/Base Facility $7000 (ACRO
member); $9000 (non-ACRO member); First satellite facility
$3000; Second satellite facility $2000; Additional satellite
facilities $1500.
American College of Surgeons (ACS) - www.facs.org
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Established by the American College of Surgeons
(ACoS) in 1922, the multi-disciplinary Commission on Cancer
(CoC) sets standards for quality multidisciplinary cancer
care delivered primarily in hospital settings; surveys
hospitals to assess compliance with those standards;
collects standardized and quality data from approved
hospitals to measure treatment patterns and outcomes; and
uses the data to evaluate hospital provider performance and
develop effective educational interventions to improve
cancer care outcomes at the national and local
level.
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ACS standards may be purchased on their web
site.
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Single
institution: $3500. Contact ACS for details.
Joint Commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) -
www.jcaho.org
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The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly
16,000 health care organizations and programs in the United
States . An independent,
not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the
nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body
in health care.
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JCAHO Standards may be purchased on their web
site.
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The
Joint Commission determines survey fees annually as needed
to maintain the cost of its operations. Surveyed
organizations are charged for all surveys with the exception
of random unannounced surveys. The Joint Commission bases an
organizations survey fees on several factors, including the
volume and type of services provided and the surveys length.
Contact the Pricing Unit at the Joint Commission at (630)
792-5115.
ACCREDITATION
TOOL - THE ROPE
The Radiation Oncology
Performance Enhancement (ROPE) Database was designed with the
accreditation process in mind. Besides being a quality
management tool that tracks quality indicators normally
documented on paper, the ROPE allows the facility to easily
document standards recommended by accrediting
organizations. TMAT is currently working with these
accrediting organizations to generate reports from the ROPE
that will assist with the pre-survey and survey process.
Call for an online demo of the ROPE or visit our web site, www.TMATech.com, for more
information.
PRICING
Pricing for the ROPE Database or Physics Services
may be obtained by contacting TMA
Technology.
Please forward this
e-mail to any of your friends and colleagues in radiation
oncology that would benefit from the latest information,
resources, and tools.
Let us carry the load for
you!
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