Updated March 3, 2006
Health Care Staffing Services program standards
The Health Care Staffing Services certification process consists primarily of two key elements:
- Compliance with set standards and
- Performance measurement
A standard is a statement that defines the performance expectations, structures, or processes that must be substantially in place for an organization to provide quality care, treatment, and services.
How were the health care staffing services standards developed and tested?
The Joint Commission develops new certification programs with input from the market and utilizes established product development and pilot testing guidelines to assure a realistic, quality program. This includes the solicitation of feedback by industry stakeholders and the public. The Joint Commission enlisted the services of two external groups to assist in developing the Health Care Staffing Services certification program. An advisory council composed of representatives from health care staffing firms from a diverse array of settings guided the program development and provided real time feedback. A task force composed of industry recipients, providers and other stakeholders assisted in standards development and recommended the performance measures for the HCSS certification program.
What do the health care staffing services standards require?
The HCSS certification process provides a comprehensive evaluation of key functional areas such as processes for verifying the credentials and competencies of health care staff. Program standards also address major content areas such as Leadership, Human Resources Management, Performance Measurement and Improvement, and Information Management.
How can I obtain a copy of the HCSS certification standards?
The manual can be purchased through Joint Commission Resources, http://www.jcrinc.com/ or by calling 1-877-223-6866. The 2005 manual will be valid through the end of 2006.
FAQs-Standards Manual
Leadership Chapter:
Does the agreement or contract need to be signed by the staffing firm’s customer? (LD.6)
No, a copy of the agreement or contract must be provided to the staffing firm’s customers. At a minimum the agreement must address all the bullets listed in LD .6 EP 2.
What is a hazard vulnerability analysis? (LD .10)
The identification of potential emergencies and the direct and indirect effects these emergencies may have on the staffing firm’s operation and demand for its services.
Human Resources Management Chapter:
Does the National Practitioner databank (NPDB) have to be queried for all Licensed Independent Practitioners? (HR .1)
No, the staffing firm does not have access to the NPDB. The staffing firm’s customers (i.e. hospitals) will need to access the NPDB to obtain the information.
What initial job training and information needs to be provided at orientation? (HR .3)
In addition to addressing all the elements of performance at HR .3, the staffing firm’s customers need to provide orientation to the organization, and any department specific and job specific information and training.
Who can assess competency of the staffing firm’s clinical staff? (HR .4)
Competency assessment relies on many factors, including the command of knowledge and the ability to perform tasks. Current competency may be reviewed through information obtained from past and current employers, peer recommendations, validating specialty certifications, testing, ongoing performance data collection, and/or skills observation, either separately or in partnership with customers. In addition, the staffing firm’s customers need to provide feedback regarding competency assessment to the staffing firm. However the staffing firm chooses to measure competency, it should be done in a thorough and ongoing fashion, looking at significant, high risk activities or competencies that are new to the staff member.
Is the staffing firm responsible for providing ongoing education to their employees? (HR.5)
The staffing firm makes available any schedules, announcements and overviews of any formal educational activities offered by various professional organizations and/or healthcare organizations.
Who do I contact if I have additional questions on the standards?
The Standards Interpretation Group (SIG) is responsible for answering specific questions about any standards and how they are interpreted. This is a no-cost service that you can access over the phone or through The Joint Commission website. Call (630) 792-5900 or use the online form.