Accrediting Bodies in Health Care

Part 1 

Accreditation of health care and health providers has viewed as one of the most important in the health sector, especially due to an increasing number private organizations offering health care services. There are a number of accrediting bodies in health care in the US. The most common one include Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) and the American Medical Accreditation Program (AMAP). Accreditation bodies in health ensure health provide high-quality healthcare services ( Viswanathan & Salmon, 2000) . Specifically, these bodies ensure standardized health care services, eliminate inappropriate care, and ensure that the cost of health care is within the reach of many citizens. Therefore, the bodies play important role in the healthcare sector. 

Part II 

Summary of Chassin Article 

According to Chassin, there is need to reform the accrediting bodies in order to enhance the safety of hospitals and doctors and to improve the quality of healthcare. He argues that the accrediting bodies have not helped in enhancing the quality of healthcare because they use outdated techniques and conditions that no longer applicable. As a result, they have failed to improve the quality of healthcare. 

Evidence Chassin Presents 

Chassin has presented evidence to prove his argument. First, he argues that the average of five days that accreditation surveyors take in the hospital is too short to make quality and comprehensive assessment. Secondly, he says that the last time Medicare conditions were modernized was in 1986 ( Chassin, 2013) . Thirdly, he argues that physician licensing requirements have not changed for 200 years. 

The Best Proposal 

I think the best proposal by Chassin is the one that requires accrediting bodies to keep on updating their conditions and requirements. This proposal is the best because medical technologies and practices keep on changing, which may require a change in conditions. 

Proposal that would not be effective 

I think the proposal that surveyors should spend more time in the hospital may not be effective. This is because many health organizations will not improve their quality of services because surveyors spend more time doing their work. In the contrary, emphasizing the culture of quality would be beneficial and sustainable. 

References  

Chassin, M. R. (2013). Improving the Quality of Health Care Where Law, Accreditation, and Professionalism Collide. Health Matrix , 23 , 395. 

Viswanathan, H. N., & Salmon, J. W. (2000). Accrediting organizations and quality improvement. Am J Manag Care , 6 (10), 1117-30.