NAMES IN THE NEWS

ACHC Releases 2023 Quality Review Edition of Surveyor

DECEMBER 2023

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) of Cary, North Carolina, announced the publication of a new Quality Review Edition of Surveyor this week. Surveyor contains detailed insights and analysis surveys of ASCs, including actual findings and frequently cited deficiencies that serve to clarify specific aspects of standards found to be noncompliant, according to a release. The data in this year’s ASC review reflect deficiencies cited on surveys performed between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. Following the sample citations are tips for compliance.

The review shows four standards cited as deficiencies on more than 15 percent of surveys performed. This is a significant decrease from last year’s report when 10 standards rose to that level of frequency. An additional six standards were cited on at least 10 percent of surveys. Three of the four most often cited by ACHC surveyors—02.01.05, 03.01.02 and 08.00.03—include a specific list of individual “required elements.” Each of these items must be present for the standard to be found compliant.

“The annual Quality Review edition of ACHC’s Surveyor takes a program-by-program look at the most frequently cited deficiencies over a year of survey activity,” said Rommie Johnson, associate program director of ACHC’s ASC accreditation program, in the release. “The purpose of the report is to highlight topics of common concern for ASCs to guide proactive focus on improvement efforts, and to inform ACHC’s work of providing relevant, actionable education and resources for ASCs.”

The ACHC Ambulatory Surgery Center Accreditation Program offers “deemed status” for Medicare-certified centers or “accreditation only” for those that are private-pay or reviewed for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the state agency.