 |
Revisions to the Accreditation
Handbook for Ambulatory Health Care Since the 2003 Edition
2. Governance
2-I-B-5a. A new standard requiring the organization to develop and maintain
a policy defining the care of pediatric patients, if relevant.
2-I-B-11-d. This standard has been revised to provide clarification regarding
the scope and intent of the standard.
2-I-B-21. This standard has been revised to provide clarification regarding
the scope and intent of the standard.
2-II-B-1. The language pertaining to "health care professionals" has been
changed to specify physicians and dentists. Credentialing of allied health
care professionals is addressed in standard 2-II-E.
2-II-B-3. Standards 3a and 3c in this section have been revised to provide
clarification.
2-II-B-4. In verifying credentials for licensure, education, training
and experience, the standard has been clarified to indicate that primary
or acceptable secondary source verification is acceptable. Appendix J
describes and contains examples of acceptable sources of secondary source
verification. As in the past, organizations may utilize the services of
a credentials verification organization (CVO) or organization performing
primary source verification that is accredited by a nationally recognized
body.
2-II-B-5. On an application for reappointment, the organization must verify
information obtained from the National Practitioner Data Bank.
2-II-E. The language of this standard, previously standard 2-II-C-2, remains
the same, but the standard was moved to reinforce the credentialing/privileging
requirement pertaining to the credentialing of allied health care professionals.
8. Facilities and Environment
8-B-2-a. Language in this standard was revised to indicate that the emergency
plan should address the safe evacuation of all individuals, not just patients.
9. Anesthesia Services
9-K-1. The standard has been revised to indicate a physician or dentist
must be present or immediately available until the medical discharge of
the patient. Medical discharge refers to discharging a patient following
clinical recovery from surgery and anesthesia.
9-Q. New language was added to this standard to indicate malignant hyperthermia
drills must be performed at least annually.
9-T. The language in this standard pertaining to the specific reference
of credentialing the individual who is responsible for supervising anesthesia
services was deleted. The requirements for credentialing and privileging
health care professionals continues to be addressed in Chapter 2, Subchapter
II, Credentialing and Privileging as well as in Standard 9-B of this same
chapter.
10. Surgical and Related Services
Chapter Description: The chapter description has been expanded to clarify
that the surgical services standards are applicable to all organizations
that provide any invasive procedures, such as pain management, endoscopy
procedures, cardiac catheterization, lithotripsy and in vitro fertilization,
as well as surgery.
10-E. The standard has been revised to indicate that medications dosages
are incorporated into the patient's clinical record prior to surgery,
if those dosages are known.
10-I. The standard now requires that personnel qualified in advanced resuscitative
techniques are present or immediately available until all patients operated
on that day have been physically discharged. A physician or dentist no
longer needs to be present or immediately available until physical discharge,
but rather must be available by telephone any time that patients are present
in a facility. Note that Standard 9-K-1 was revised to specifically require
that a physician or dentist is present or immediately available until
the medical discharge of the patient.
10-L. Language was added to this standard to address a safe environment
of treatment areas, including laser rooms.
10-V, W, X. The laser surgery standards are updated to reflect changes
in the American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care
Facilities, which provides guidance for the safe use of lasers and laser
systems for diagnostic and therapeutic uses in health care facilities.
The revised laser standards require granting privileges for each specific
laser, immediate availability of saline or water for dousing, and prohibit
the positioning of drape material in front of a laser beam.
15. Pharmaceutical Services
15-B-6. This new standard requires that all injectable medications drawn
into syringes or oral medications removed from the packaging identified
by the original manufacturer must be appropriately labeled if not administered
immediately.
20. Other Professional & Technical Services
20-A. This standard was revised to provide clarification regarding the
application of this adjunct chapter.
24. Health Education and Wellness
An explanatory note states that this chapter applies to any organization
that provides or indicates that it provides comprehensive health education
and wellness services addressing major health risks and needs of the population.
AAAHC Policies and Procedures
The survey eligibility criteria is revised to include an organization
that provides health care services under the direction or supervision
of one of the following health care professionals, or group of professionals
who accept responsibility for that health care, and are licensed in accordance
with applicable state law:
| a. |
doctor
of medicine or osteopathy (MD/DO) |
| b. |
doctor
of dental surgery or dental medicine (DDS/DMD) |
| c. |
doctor
of podiatric medicine (DPM) |
| d. |
doctor
of optometry (OD) |
| e. |
doctor
of chiropractic (DC) |
In addition, the term "medical" as used throughout
the standards is not intended to exclude dentistry, podiatry, optometry
or chiropractic, and when the word "medical" appears alone it generally
should be construed as meaning "clinical" and including services provided
by dentists, podiatrists, optometrists and chiropractors, who are licensed
in accordance with applicable state law.
Appendix D
This appendix, containing a sample credentialing form, is updated to reflect
the recent revisions in Chapter 2, Subchapter II, Credentialing & Privileging.
Appendix J
This appendix is updated to list references to web sites for the primary
and secondary sources accepted for verify credentials.
|