Emergency Hospital Systems (EHS) is preparing for reaccreditation by The Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ) and will soon undergo the comprehensive survey process. The upcoming survey will cover all the departments and services EHS provides and its contracts across its four locations – Deerbrook Emergency Hospital, Texas Emergency Hospital, Woodlands HOPD, and Porter HOPD.
EHS’s reaccreditation will indicate its dedication to offering high-quality, safe, and effective patient care while adhering to federal standards and regulations for hospitals participating in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It serves as a clear acknowledgment of their commitment to quality.
Rodrigo Blasco, Director of Patient Safety and Quality at EHS, states, “Quality is a fundamental value that permeates every department and service in the organization. The dedicated staff has been working diligently to adhere to the standards set by CIHQ, ensuring that the organization possesses all the necessary capabilities to fulfill all the requirements”.
CIHQ conducts full accreditation surveys every three years to maintain accreditation status. EHS’s most recent accreditation was obtained in 2020, following prior accreditation from the Joint Commission. This year, EHS must undergo another full survey, typically lasting 2-4 days.
The CIHQ survey comprehensively evaluates an organization’s structure, policies, processes, and procedures to ensure compliance with high-quality standards and regulations. The surveyors will review medical records and documents, inspect facilities, and may interview staff, physicians, and patients on various topics, among other assessments.
For a hospital to participate in the Medicare program, it must either be certified directly by CMS or accredited by an organization whose standards and survey procedures have been deemed by CMS to meet Medicare requirements.
CIHQ is a privately held company established in 1999 and headquartered in McKinney, TX. CIHQ is the nation’s 4th accrediting provider, joining the Joint Commission, DNV, and HFAP. CIHQ provides accreditation services to hundreds of hospitals and other healthcare entities across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Guam.