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It takes two to tango (or qualify as a hospital)

Briefings on Accreditation and Quality, February 1, 2018

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Briefings on Accreditation and Quality.

How CMS and Joint Commission decide what accreditation program to put you in

The difference between being accredited as a hospital or as an outpatient center can mean a difference of thousands of dollars in revenue when billing Medicare. And if you are a smaller, specialty hospital or an outlying facility that is part of a larger health system, be prepared. CMS and other surveyors will be expecting proof that you meet the requirements for being surveyed as a hospital and not as some other type of provider.

The Joint Commission recently issued a statement that a hospital must have at least two active inpatients at the time of either an initial survey or resurvey; if not, the survey—which is required for accreditation and the ability to bill Medicare—will not continue. The accreditor changed its requirements following a newly revised survey-and-certification memo from CMS clarifying how the federal agency defines a hospital, according to the statement.

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Briefings on Accreditation and Quality.

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