The Value of Accreditation for O&P Facilities

This month, our guest blogger from BOC emphasizes the importance of accreditation for O&P facilities.

The last time we had the opportunity to guest blog for WillowWood, we talked about the human side, or the intangibles of quality patient care through individual certification for O&P practitioners. This time we want to highlight BOC’s other major program – facility accreditation.

You may be thinking that facility accreditation doesn’t matter to you, because you aren’t supplying diabetic footwear, crutches, nebulizers, or any of the other products which would require your facility to be accredited. PLEASE DON’T STOP READING. Even though facility accreditation is not mandatory for most O&P facilities, it is still very important. By meeting the required standards for accreditation, you will improve the service you provide to patients and your business practices.

Quality Patient Care
To attain and maintain BOC Accreditation, a facility has to have policies and procedures in place that protect the patient. These range from record keeping and HIPAA compliance to patient assessment and education. An accurate and thorough patient medical history is vital for positive outcomes in the future. Facility accreditation is the best way to discover and adhere to industry standards for keeping patient records, developing a Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and collaborating with other healthcare providers.

Improved Business Practices
The BOC Accreditation Standards Guide outlines standards for company leadership, training employees, financial records, and human resources. The guide helps facilities comply with CMS standards for governance and employee education. It helps owners manage revenues and expenses related to patient services on an ongoing basis. Finally, the guide outlines procedures for hiring and managing personnel – a business is only as good as its people.

Facility accreditation is a mark of excellence in patient care and business practices. That is why more and more state and local regulations, as well as third party payors, require it.

The recent Boston Marathon tragedy, and resulting amputee victims, served as a reminder of the value of certified practitioners working at quality facilities to care for amputees. The relationship an amputee has with his or her credentialed prosthetist is one of the most important relationships he or she will have. A prosthetist becomes a part of an amputee’s family as they overcome obstacles and experience victories together. Certification assures amputees that a prosthetist is trained and knowledgeable, whereas accreditation assures amputees that the facility they visit regularly has met the highest standards for care.

If you have questions about pricing or any other aspect of accreditation, please contact Wendy Miller, BOCO, CDME, BOC’s Director of Accreditation, at 877.776.2200 or wendy.miller@bocusa.org.