In the United States, accreditation and licensing are used to confirm that predetermined criteria and standards have been met. These processes are essential for any organization or business to be successful. After verifying that the predetermined criteria have been met, an accreditation is granted by a nongovernmental entity. It is voluntary to become accredited, but sometimes the importance of accreditation can make it mandatory. Assessments of accreditations focus on assessing safe and effective outcomes and developments.
For accreditation to remain valid, there are usually constant requirements. These include site visits or applications. Joint Commission, Council for Interior Design Accreditation(CIDA), National Architectural Accreditation Board(NAAB), Council on Education for Public Health-CEPH, Planetree are examples of sites and applications.
The licensing process is the method whereby a government agency gives a time-limited permit to an individual for them to engage in a particular profession. This occurs after confirming that they meet certain and standard criteria. These are usually education and experience. Licensure is designed to ensure licensees maintain the minimum degree of competence required to protect health, safety, or well-being of the public. For licensing, applicants must first meet eligibility criteria and then pass a comprehensive assessment of their knowledge and skills. This is usually done at the beginning level. The license must be maintained by completing CEUs, retests or physical exams. As they are state approved, if a person works in different states then each one must have their license. License requirements can vary by jurisdiction. Professional associations are not able to grant licensure, but they can still play an important role in the licensing process. For example, by promoting and working with the agencies that administer and develop licensing.
This credential could be obtained by a licensed practical or registered nurse. The accreditation process can only be undertaken by accredited organizations, programs or agencies. Licenses are issued involuntarily and are primarily designed to promote public safety. They also protect the consumers’ well-being, whether they be individuals, institutions, programs, agencies or organizations. In the United States Accreditation was created for the protection of health and public safety. The population of the community was growing rapidly and there were a number of organizations providing services to the public, such as healthcare and education. In the 1800s the United States saw a rise in higher education, but little was done to distinguish between schools or regulate their educational quality. American College of Surgeons accredited first US hospitals to encourage hospital reforms based on the management of patient care. In 1951, hospital standardization efforts of the American College of Surgeons were merged with those of other organizations, including the American Hospital Association and American Medical Association. The Joint Commission on accreditation of hospitals became the new name for this entity. In 1987, it was renamed the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. The Joint Commission is the name of this organization.
CMS and accreditation standards are continuously changing. Revisions and new mandates come out every six months. Hospitals have faced a number of challenges, including the volume of collected data and the lack thereof. The Joint Committe has identified some of the areas where hospitals are failing to meet accreditation standards. The Joint Commission identified that hospitals are failing in the following areas: the hospital must maintain the integrity and safety of its means of exit, fire protection systems are maintained and designed to reduce the risk of fire and smoke. Qualified staff must receive verbal orders and record them.
