Groups Discussing Possible Changes to Health Care Licensing, Accreditation Process
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations at a meeting on Thursday with state officials will discuss the possibility of changing state rules to allow accreditation organizations to conduct licensing inspections in California, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
California Ambulatory Surgery Association Executive Director Beth LaBouyer said the organization would support legislation to permit the change.
Currently, the Department of Health Services conducts all licensing inspections. Twenty-two states allow accreditation groups to conduct licensing inspections.
About 20 surgery centers in the state are waiting for approval, and an additional 25 centers are nearly built and have submitted applications for approval, according to the Business Journal.
Delays in approval can last for months, as DHS has 430 inspectors to oversee 6,000 health centers in the state and investigate thousands of complaints each year.
Licensing division spokesperson Lea Brooks said it would take 526 inspectors to complete inspections of all facilities required by state and federal law.
The delays cost doctors who fund the centers money and raise questions about what to do with staff who have no work to do and time-sensitive supplies that could expire before approval is granted, the Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 12/5).