The Joint Commission achieved renewed deeming approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its Ambulatory Surgical Center Accreditation Program, effective Sept. 1, 2024, through Sept. 1, 2030. Six years is the maximum term of approval granted by CMS.
In renewing The Joint Commission’s deeming approval, CMS determined that The Joint Commission’s standards and survey process meet or exceed those established by CMS. Accreditation is voluntary and seeking deemed status through accreditation is an option – not a requirement. Organizations seeking Medicare approval may choose to be surveyed either by an accrediting body, such as The Joint Commission, or by state surveyors on behalf of CMS.
All deemed status surveys are unannounced. Any ambulatory surgical center deemed to meet the CMS requirements is subject to validation and complaint investigation surveys performed by CMS or its agent(s).
“With renewed deeming approval from CMS, The Joint Commission can continue to help healthcare organizations across the nation provide the safest and highest quality ambulatory care,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “Through participation in our Ambulatory Surgical Center Accreditation Program, organizations will receive a framework for enhancing their performance reliability and minimizing risks associated with ambulatory care.”
The Joint Commission’s health equity initiatives are highlighted in a recent Health Disparities podcast featuring Kathryn Petrovic, MSN, RN, vice president for accreditation and certification product development. Petrovic explains how resolving healthcare disparities is both a moral and ethical requirement, and a fundamental patient safety and quality of care imperative.
“The Joint Commission has recognized the horrible impact of health disparities in America, and the group is taking action,” says Petrovic. The accrediting organization launched a new health care equity certification program in 2023 that recognizes hospitals that are “making health care equity a strategic priority, and collaborating with patients, families, caregivers, and external organizations to identify and address needs that help translate equitable health care into better health outcomes,” Petrovic says.