Accreditation is a process by which an organization undergoes an external review to assess its compliance with established standards or regulations. In healthcare, accreditation is often provided by organizations such as The Joint Commission, Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), and Det Norske Veritas (DNV). The role of accreditation in mitigating risk compliance issues is to ensure that healthcare organizations adhere to established standards and regulations, thereby reducing the likelihood of risks and ensuring that patients receive high-quality care.
An example of a healthcare organization that was placed on probation by its accrediting body or by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) within the last 3 years for a risk compliance issue is Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas, Texas. In 2019, Parkland Health and Hospital System was placed on probation by The Joint Commission due to multiple compliance issues related to patient safety and quality of care. Some of the specific issues cited by The Joint Commission included failure to perform appropriate assessments and interventions for patients at risk for suicide, medication errors, and failure to follow up on abnormal test results.
The probation could have been prevented by ensuring that proper protocols and procedures were in place to address patient safety and quality of care issues. This includes ensuring that staff are appropriately trained, that policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated, and that there is ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the organization’s performance. It is important for healthcare organizations to regularly assess and address potential risks to patient safety and quality of care, and to take proactive steps to prevent compliance issues before they occur.
In conclusion, accreditation plays an important role in mitigating risk compliance issues by ensuring that healthcare organizations adhere to established standards and regulations. The example of Parkland Health and Hospital System highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and evaluation of an organization’s performance to identify and address potential risks to patient safety and quality of care. By taking proactive steps to prevent compliance issues, healthcare organizations can reduce the likelihood of being placed on probation or losing accreditation.