Standards Q & A: Survey After Change in Health Services Provider

Q: We are due for our NCCHC reaccreditation survey in October but have recently changed health services vendors. Will this impact our survey?

A: Changing a health services vendor does not impact your survey. However, it is important to archive all pertinent documentation from the outgoing vendor to ensure that facility staff have access to documentation that supports compliance.   

From time to time, facilities have reported to NCCHC that a previous vendor removed all accreditation documentation when the contract ended. When this happens, the survey is compromised since the survey team cannot review a longitudinal history of work done at the facility. NCCHC surveyors will review the limited documentation retained but will require the facility to develop a detailed plan of corrective action to ensure that all components of the standards will be met going forward.

To avoid this issue, NCCHC encourages facilities to add language to all new vendor contracts stipulating that any accreditation support and documentation provided by the vendor will remain at the facility if a vendor transition occurs. Since NCCHC accredits facilities, not health care providers, it is important for the facility to retain records, data, and documentation. 

Amy Panagopoulos, MBA, BSN, is NCCHC’s vice president of accreditation. Send your standards-related questions to [email protected].