If your organization provides one or more of the following services to individuals in their place of residence, either directly or through written agreement or contract, you may be eligible for Joint Commission survey and accreditation:
Primary Services Accredited Under the Home Care Program
Active Service
An eligible home care service provided to 10 or more patients during the past 12 months. In addition, for a particular service to be eligible for any survey (with the exception of select Early Survey Options), the organization must have an active patient on service at the time of survey. If an organization is scheduled for survey and there is not an active patient on service, that service will not be surveyed, and another survey will be scheduled.
Home Health Services
The provision of any health care services by health care professionals. This includes, but is not limited to, performing assessments, provision of care, treatment, counseling, and/or monitoring of the patient’s clinical status by nurses (both intermittent and private duty), occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, social workers, dietitians, dentists, physicians, and other licensed health care professionals in the patient’s home. It includes the extension or follow-up of health care services provided by hospital professional staff in the patient’s home.
Personal Care and/or Support Services
The provision of assistance because of a health-related condition with personal care, activities of daily living, and management of household routine by paraprofessional personnel. This includes the provision of services by home health aides, personal care aides, home attendants, nursing assistants, companions, and homemakers.
Hospice
An organized program that consists of services provided and coordinated by an interdisciplinary team to meet the needs of patients who are diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a limited life span. The program specializes in palliative management of pain and other physical symptoms, meeting the psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and the patient’s family or other primary care person(s), utilization of volunteers and provision of bereavement care to survivors. This includes, but is not limited to; all programs licensed as hospices, and Medicare-certified hospice programs. All services provided by the hospice (e.g., pharmacy and HME services), and care provided in all settings (in-patient, nursing home, etc.) are included.
Home Medical Equipment Services
To be eligible for Joint Commission accreditation for HME services, your organization must provide services the include provision of any durable medical equipment, medical gases, prosthetics, orthotics, supplies, and other items and services intended to comply with the quality standards established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for any item or service for which payment could be made under Medicare Part B.
Additionally, there are two professional services that may be eligible for survey as well, in conjunction with the provision of Home Medical Equipment:
Clinical Respiratory Services
These are defined as the provision of health care services by respiratory therapists or other health care professionals, in conjunction with the provision of HME by the same organization. This includes, but is not limited to, performing assessments and testing, administration of treatment, medication administration, provision of education, and/or monitoring of the patient’s respiratory status.
Rehabilitation Technology
These are defined as services that enhance the lifestyle of physically challenged individuals through the sale and rental of custom medical equipment and supplies, with ongoing evaluation by trained rehabilitation technologists and/or orthotics/prosthetics technicians. These services include, but are not limited to: customized mobility systems and associated seating and positioning systems, adaptive equipment, and orthotic and prosthetic appliances. These services may be provided in the patient’s home, in rehabilitation clinics, schools, or in the organization’s facility.
To be eligible for a Joint Commission review, an HME organization must provide service to at least 10 patients in a time frame no greater than 12 months prior to the date of survey, and have one active patient on service at the time of survey who is available for a home visit.
If an organization is scheduled for survey and there is not an active patient on service, that service cannot be surveyed, and a future survey will be scheduled.
Pharmacy Services
This includes the provision of pharmaceutical care and services involving the preparation and dispensing of medications, and medication-related devices and supplies by a licensed pharmacy, with or without the provision of clinical or consultant pharmacist services. This includes, home pharmacy services, long term care pharmacy services, and ambulatory infusion, but specifically excludes community pharmacy practice. The sub-sections related to pharmacy eligibility are as follows:
Pharmacy Dispensing Services
This includes the dispensing of medications, medication-related supplies and equipment and other related services by a licensed pharmacy. This also includes the provision of the professional services of a pharmacist as a component of the dispensing process to ensure appropriate and safe medication use (e.g., prescription review, medication profile review, patient counseling, etc.) as mandated by law and regulations, and standards of practice.
Long Term Care Pharmacy Services
These are services that provide pharmacy dispensing to patients residing in a nursing home or other long term care facility, such as assisted living facilities, and rehabilitation facilities.
Clinical Consultant Pharmacist Services
Consultant pharmacy is the provision of professional care and services by a qualified pharmacist to optimize outcomes of medication therapy and minimize the adverse effects of medications. This includes assessing the appropriateness of medication orders, the ongoing evaluation and review of the patient’s medication regimen and pharmacy care plan, the ongoing monitoring of medication effects in individual patients, the provision of drug information, oversight of the medication use process to improve patient safety, and other cognitive medication-related services.
Freestanding Ambulatory Infusion Services
These include the dispensing and administration of drug therapy by infusion or inhalation, and related services, under the supervision of a licensed health care professional (e.g., a nurse) to ambulatory patients in a room or office at an organization’s site, which is not an extension of a physician’s office, hospital, or part of a larger ambulatory organization.