More and more hospital surveys may be on-site, depending on conditions

Be aware: As COVID-19 cases go down, your odds for an on-site reaccreditation survey might go up.

CMS is continuing to limit its on-site hospital surveys, except those involving complaints of immediate jeopardy to patients or in cases where patients are considered to be in imminent danger.

In a memo initially issued January 20 to CMS’ state survey agencies (SA) and revised on February 18, the federal overseer of Medicare said it was directing accreditation organizations (AO) to also limit hospital surveys based on certain criteria.

The directive was first set through mid-February, then renewed for 30 days through March 22, and could be renewed again.

However, in many cases hospitals still may be subject to their regular on-site, triennial reaccreditation survey. And that survey will be unannounced, as usual.

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