AHA urges CMS to grant deeming authority for The Joint Commission
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
July 29, 2009
In a letter to the acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Rick Pollack, the executive vice president of the American Hospital Association (AHA), advocated for The Joint Commission to receive deeming authority. In 2008, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act required The Joint Commission to apply for deemed status much like any other hospital accreditor.
The AHA's letter advocates for The Joint Commission to receive deemed status because its standards require more of hospitals than the CMS' Conditions of Participation, and focus on key areas, such as infection control, patient rights, and patient care. The AHA also supports The Joint Commission's efforts because its standards are developed with input from many parties, including providers, purchasers, consumers, and healthcare experts, says the AHA.
