Taking the plunge is never easy. However, many people would agree that if you’re going to chart a bold course, the start of a new year is the time to do it. I’m not talking about losing weight, taking up yoga, or reading more classical literature. I’m talking about Joint Commission certification. What are you waiting for?
The Joint Commission’s Health Care Staffing Services Certification Program is two years old, and in that time the number of applicants has more than doubled. In 2006, 73 staffing firms underwent an initial certification review; almost 60 staffing firms were re-certified.
Since 2005, 65 contracts in 28 states have changed language to reflect if a staffing firm is Joint Commission-certified or not, and when the firm intends to become so. Notice that sentence reads “when” and not “whether!”
Joint Commission certification is rapidly becoming an important way for your business to set itself apart from its competitors. We know that the certification process can seem daunting, and that’s why we’re hosting breakfast briefings throughout the country (see TakeNote.) There are many benefits to becoming certified, and we want to talk to you about why it’s an important step for your staffing firm in 2007.
Michele M. Sacco, MS
Executive Director
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Liability insurance carriers are always looking at new ways of evaluating risk reduction. That’s why The Joint Commission is working with insurance companies to raise the visibility of Joint Commission-certified health care staffing firms.
“We are identifying carriers that offer a financial benefit to Joint Commission certified staffing firms and posting that information on our website,” says Michele Sacco, executive director, Health Care Staffing Services Certification.
“From AIG’s perspective, Joint Commission- certified firms represent higher caliber organizations with less risk,” says Bill Thompson, senior vice president of Smith, Bell and Thompson, the company that services risk on behalf of AIG, one of the largest insurance companies in the world.
“We recognize Joint Commission certification as a critical risk management tool,” Thompson adds. “There’s no doubt that the health care staffing industry is moving toward certification, and Joint Commission certification certainly is one of the key factors that we utilize during our underwriting analysis and pricing process.”
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As of July 1, certified health care staffing firms will have an additional tool by which to measure their performance and performance improvement activities. The periodic performance review, or PPR, is an assessment tool that provides the framework for continuous standards compliance. Using the PPR, Joint Commission-certified health care staffing firms self-evaluate their compliance with all certification participation requirements and applicable standards and elements of performance. Staffing firms will also be required to develop a plan of action for all areas of performance identified as needing improvement and identify measures of success for validating resolution of the problem areas.
The PPR will be available to certified staffing firms on their Joint Commission Connect extranet (see related article) on a continuous basis. Staffing firms undergoing their first Joint Commission review will receive access to the PPR after their application and deposit are received. However, completing and submitting the PPR is not required until 12 months after the initial full review.
New CPR addresses periodic performance review
A new certification participation requirement for the Health Care Staffing Services Certification Program will take effect July 1. The CPR, “The organization fulfills the periodic performance review requirement annually,” addresses the addition of PPRs to the certification process. Review the staffing CPRs. |
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The Joint Commission recently unveiled its new branding initiative with an abbreviated name and redesigned logo. Specific changes include:
- A new name—shortened to The Joint Commission
- New logos for The Joint Commission, Joint Commission Resources, Joint Commission International and the International Center for Patient Safety.
- Online Publicity Kit updated with the new Gold Seal of Approval™.
- Extranet renamed “The Joint Commission Connect”
- Staffing Certification News redesign
- New e-mail extensions are "@jointcommission.org"
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Health care staffing firms now have online access to certification reports, agendas, fees and billing information. “Our extranet—The Joint Commission Connect—provides a convenient, secure portal for accessing all of your Joint Commission information,” says Michele Sacco, executive director, Health Care Staffing Services Certification. “Staffing firms can apply for their review online, and they can also look for post-review information specific to their company.”
CEOs of certified health care staffing firms were sent instructions for logging in. Currently, the extranet includes:
- Certification application
- Notification of unannounced reviews (by 7:30 a.m. in your firm’s local time zone the morning of the review)
- Reviewer biographies
Later in the year, extranet enhancements will include:
- “What’s Due?” section that provides key due dates
- Performance measure information reporting
For more information on how to access the extranet, contact your account representative.
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Q: Does The Joint Commission require staffing firms to verify the education of their nurses and other health professionals?
A: According to Merlin Wessels, associate director, The Joint Commission’s Standards Interpretation Group, staffing firms should review Standard HR.1 and its elements of performance. A staffing firm must confirm that its staff person’s qualifications are consistent with his or her assignment. If you’re talking about licensed individuals, then the body that issues the license usually has verified the individual’s education. However, this needs to be verified with the issuing body. If the issuing body has verified the individual’s education, then the staffing firm does not need to conduct primary source verification for education. However, with respect to individuals with specialized education or advanced training, such as advance practice registered nurses—which would go beyond the requirements of the license—the staffing firm does need to conduct a primary source verification. This requirement applies to other disciplines besides nursing as well.
For standards questions, use the online form.
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- Standard HR.1 element of performance 7 for the Health Care Staffing Services Certification Program has been deleted based on feedback from the field.
- Leadership Standard LD.3.50 (applicable to multiple Joint Commission accreditation programs) has been revised to clearly delineate how health care organizations can select and monitor the performance of contracted services. The standard will be published in The Joint Commission Perspectives in mid-2007, for implementation January 1, 2008.
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The Joint Commission recently approved 2007 “not compliant” standard thresholds for conditional certification and preliminary denial of certification.
For details, review the December 2006 issue of The Joint Commission Perspectives.
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The Joint Commission’s Health Care Staffing Services Certification program is hosting complimentary breakfast briefings for staffing firms that are not yet certified. The briefings run all year throughout the country.
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By mid-2007, each Joint Commission certified health care staffing firm will have its own Quality Report posted on The Joint Commission Quality Check website at www.qualitycheck.org. Quality Reports provide useful information about Joint Commission-certified or accredited organizations.
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Michele Sacco, executive director
(630) 792-5285 or
msacco@jointcommission.org
Stacy Veitengruber, business development specialist
(630) 792-5779 or
sveitengruber@jointcommission.org
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