• Time to prepare. Start planning for
your next survey at least six to nine
months in advance. We worked with a
consultant who walked through our facili-
ty. She made a list of issues we needed to
address, including how we filled out our
charts and other medical records. We had
a lot of down time during the pandemic,
and made good use of it to prepare for
the survey. We made to-do lists based on
the consultant's recommendations, and
allowed some staff members to come in
and work on bringing our paperwork up
to speed.
In addition to the facility-specific rec-
ommendations, the consultant spoke to us about
which issues accreditation surveyors were making
points of emphasis, as well as some issues directly
resulting from COVID-19. For example, she told us
surveyors no longer approve of cloth chairs in wait-
ing rooms, so we replaced ours ahead of time.
When we conducted mock surveys, it was very
helpful to have the accreditation handbook handy
and attach our own policies to the relevant chapters
to make our responses easier to locate. Also refer to
F
E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 5 3
Leading the industry in education-based accreditation. | (855) 937-2242 | hfap.org
HFAP is now a brand of ACHC.
"The surveyors were amazing. They did a great job pu ing everyone at ease and
giving feedback in a constructive, kind manner. They kept us informed and provided
great insights. It was a pleasure working with and learning from them.
— ASC Director of Nursing, 2019 TIME Survey
"
healthcare is people
helping people.
Shouldn't accreditation be the same?
ambulatory surgery center acute care hospital
BACK TO WORK Furloughed employees at North Pinellas Surgery Center were brought back during the
COVID shutdown to prepare the facility for its accreditation survey.
Amanda
Harris
