Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has launched a new online tool that helps patients and families locate hospitals recognized for delivering high-quality surgical care, according to an August 26 ACS announcement. The “Find a Hospital” tool highlights facilities that have earned ACS accreditation or verification through an…

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Editor's Note Ambulatory care leaders can now sharpen compliance strategies with the release of the 2025 Quality Roadmap from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), published September 22. The annual report distills more than a year of survey findings into practical guidance for addressing the most common accreditation…

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Editor's Note The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) released its v44 Standards, introducing new guidance designed to strengthen patient-focused care, streamline compliance, and align with evolving state regulations, an August 18 AAAHC announcement reports. As detailed in the news release, the v44 Standards, effective December 16, 2025, were…

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For an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), earning accreditation can be more than a mark of excellence. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) offers Medicare Deemed Status Accreditation, eliminating the need for separate surveys to certify compliance with the Conditions of Participation (CoPs) required by the Centers for Medicare…

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Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, How ASCs ace the AAAHC accreditation survey. The posts below cover the latest version of the handbook from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and advice on delineation of privileges.  Navigating the new handbook The latest…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a new strategy to revise its accreditation and certification programs to better reflect the distinct needs of pediatric care. According to a July 29 announcement, the effort responds to requests from the children’s health community and aims to revise or remove standards that…

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Comparing healthcare to aviation is a long-standing tradition, especially when discussing safety systems like checklists. However, the similarities extend beyond protocols. Just as flying a paper airplane differs vastly from piloting a jumbo jet, so too does earning a certificate of attendance differ from achieving professional certification. Parallels like these…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a major redesign of its healthcare accreditation and certification programs with Accreditation 360: The New Standard. According to a June 30 announcement, the new framework introduces outcome-focused performance tools, eliminates hundreds of requirements, and promises to made standards publicly accessible. Reportedly supported by…

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Becoming a perioperative nurse generally does not require certification. However, expectations can change quickly for those hoping to climb the career ladder. For some, expectations are also changing for how knowledge and skills should be assessed. Rather than taking an exam, this subset of specialty nurses earn certification by submitting…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced significant updates taking effect immediately to the eligibility requirements for its cardiac and stroke certifications, developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association (ASA). According to the April 2 announcement,  key revisions involve the removal of percutaneous coronary…

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