Accreditation: Get ready for the knock

Q. How can an HME/DME provider best prepare for the new accreditation changes? 

A. The DMEPOS/Home Health Final Rule from CMS represents substantial changes in the accreditation process for HME/DME providers who bill through Medicare/Medicaid.   

Of those changes, none may be more significant than the switch to annual onsite surveys. While annual surveys are creating the most buzz, there are additional new CMS survey requirements that may also have significant implications for providers such as change of majority ownership or location/relocation, adding new locations or new product type/category. 

During this period of transition, there are steps a provider can take now to help prepare and quickly adapt to these and other changes that may lie ahead. 

Contact your accreditation organization. Your AO can help interpret and navigate the new requirements, discuss specific concerns, what new processes they will be implementing, and the implications those will have for your business. Your AO should be your partner and an expert resource.   

Get your house in order. If you’re like many providers, you don’t think about accreditation and compliance for three years until that onsite survey is about to knock on your door. Now with annual onsite surveys, staying compliant needs to be part of your day-to-day operations. 

Dust off those accreditation standards. Go through each standard/evidence of compliance and conduct your own mock onsite survey. Where you’re deficient, start your own corrective action plan with deadlines and completion dates. Keep all policies and procedures current. 

Document, document, document. These new requirements will no doubt create more paperwork/documentation. Financial documentation, employee/patient records, written policies/procedures, patient surveys, etc. To help minimize the administrative burden, have a document management process and digital filing system in place and up to date.  

These are just a few steps you can take now to help ensure you’re compliant when that onsite surveyor comes knocking at your door.  

Sandra Canally, RN, is founder and CEO of The Compliance Team.