The Joint Commission’s newest certification program for transplant centers is awarded for a three-year period. There will be intracycle requirements and monthly reporting.
The need for strengthened quality oversight for transplants has grown as the number of people receiving transplants has increased. Currently, more than 97,000 people are known to be awaiting a transplant. Transplant surgeries currently include replacement of kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreas, and intestines; multiple organs are sometimes transplanted.
Development of this program began after the stated intent of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish quality standards for transplant centers that seek to participate in the Medicare program. The new requirements address heart, heart-lung, intestine, kidney, liver, lung, and pancreas transplant programs. Current CMS eligibility and reimbursement requirements for heart, liver and lung transplant centers do not include an assessment of compliance with quality standards. CMS has indicated that accrediting bodies may apply for and receive deeming authority for its proposed Conditions of Participation for transplant centers.
The new CMS rules apply to the nearly 700 Medicare-approved transplant centers currently functioning in 257 transplant hospitals.
Achieve the Gold Seal of Approval
A Certificate of Distinction will be awarded to health care organizations that meet the requirements for Transplant Center Certification and certification results will be publicly disclosed to provide certified programs a marketing advantage and providers with meaningful, comparative information. The certification provides health care consumers with a new and third party source of information to assist in making informed health care decisions about transplant programs.