The Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program and the Accreditation Commission for Health Care merged in October last year. ACHC President and CEO José Domingos discussed the lead-up to the merger and the benefits it brings to HFAP programs in a Feb. 17 interview with Specialty Pharmacy Continuum.
Four key quotes:
On what led to the merger: "Both organizations [value collaboration], and it became clear that the way ACHC and HFAP as separate entities viewed ourselves philosophically was very similar — not just in the approach with customers but also internally with our employees," Mr. Domingos told Specialty Pharmacy Continuum. "As we continue to grow, we intend to keep a very family-type atmosphere in our combined organization. This focus makes us very approachable while also making it a great place to work. Then we also found that our service lines had very little overlap, and that is ultimately how the idea to create a one-stop shop for accreditation focused on customer service and innovative thinking became appealing enough that both boards recognized that benefit and decided to support the merger."
On the challenges COVID-19 posed: "A few years ago, ACHC created an innovation team. We couldn't have possibly foreseen this exact situation, but I asked the team to conceptualize what accreditation would look like 10 years from now, and one of the things I used as an example, that seemed far-fetched at the time, was whether or not virtual surveys would make sense. Could we literally drop a 'robot' into a facility, maybe an iPad or a camera with a stand? … Because of our brainstorming around this concept, we were ahead of the curve in being prepared with a virtual survey process."
How adding HFAP programs benefits ACHC customers: "Ultimately, we think that having a full-service accreditation is where the future is going. Given that healthcare has seen so much consolidation, many systems, partnerships and even individual provider entities need multiple accreditations. To have a single body that offers a full spectrum of solutions with a simple process will reduce duplication of efforts by customers, streamlining the amount of effort and work they need to put in when they need multiple accreditations. Staff members working for providers who are tasked with regulatory compliance will focus less on trying to crosswalk what they do and more on how they demonstrate delivery of safe, high-quality care for patients."
Why CMS deeming authority is so valuable: "First, it's historic. Second, it's important because while one might think it produces less choice for providers, we think it's actually the opposite. In the past, there have been very few accrediting organizations covering the entire continuum of care. Now there's a new option with ACHC."