Special Alert: JCAHO Impostors - Here is what to expect from a JCAHO surveyor
| Special Alert: JCAHO Impostors |
Here is what to expect from a JCAHO surveyor
Joe Cappiello, vice president for accreditation field operations with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, urges risk managers to question anyone claiming to be a Joint Commission surveyor at your facility. Surveyors are well aware of the problem with impostors and will not be offended by a request for identification or even being asked to wait while you confirm that they are who they say they are.
“I have told my surveyors to expect to be challenged and in fact if they are not challenged they should ask why not,” he notes.
Cappiello makes these points:
- Real Joint Commission surveyors rarely visit a facility outside of normal working hours, roughly 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- They often do not visit on a weekend.
- If they do show up outside of normal working hours, they will go to the main entry point, show their identification, and ask to speak to the senior administrator in house or the administrator on call. They will not ask the first person they contact to show them around or to provide information.
The steps to take
At a minimum, Cappiello advises taking these steps:
1. Ask the visitors to show their Joint Commission identification badges.
2. Examine the letter authorizing their visit. If the surveyors are not expected for a scheduled survey, they will have a letter addressed to the head of the organization signed by Russell Massaro, MD, executive vice president of accreditation operations for the Joint Commission. The letter will explain who they are and why they are there.
3. If there is any doubt about the legitimacy of the credentials or other concerns, call Cappiello directly at (630) 792-5757 during business hours, or you can call your local Joint Commission account representative.
“Outside of normal business hours, if there is any doubt, the surveyor will know how to get hold of me. They have my number and I’ll be glad to verify who they are,” Cappiello says.
The vice president for accreditation field operations with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations urges risk managers to question anyone claiming to be a Joint Commission surveyor at your facility.
Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.