California announces second phase of licensing and accreditation pilot

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) rolled out Phase II of its General Acute Care Hospital (GACH) Relicensing Survey pilot July 1. The survey now includes the former stand-alone surveys Medication Error Reduction Plan (MERP) and Patient Safety Licensing Survey (PSLS). All of the surveys are unannounced, and the CDPH expects that some facilities may receive a "Statement of Deficiencies," which will require a plan of correction.

The purpose of this pilot program is to promote consistency throughout the California healthcare system in terms of quality of care, as well as to ensure compliance with state regulations and statutes. Once the GACH Relicensing Survey goes into effect in 2016, the survey will combine California's licensing regulation and statute requirements together with elements of the current stand-alone MERP and PSLS into one survey process, according to the CDPH. This new process does not replace the GACH Initial Licensing Survey for healthcare facilities.

This is an excerpt from an article in Briefings on The Joint Commission. Visit here to log in or subscribe.