Hospice Accreditation: ACHC vs. Joint Commission vs. CHAP
ACHC, The Joint Commission (TJC), and CHAP hold CMS deeming authority for Medicare-certified hospice organizations. This comparison covers the key differences hospice organizations evaluate when selecting an accreditor.
At a Glance: ACHC, Joint Commission, and CHAP Hospice Accreditation
| Factor | ACHC | Joint Commission | CHAP |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMS Deeming Authority | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accreditation Cycle | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Survey Type | Unannounced | Unannounced | Unannounced |
| Combined Home Health + Hospice Program | Separate programs | Separate programs | Combined program available |
ACHC Hospice Accreditation
ACHC offers a hospice accreditation program with standards written for the hospice care model.
ACHC Strengths for Hospice Organizations
- Compatible separate home health program for dual-service organizations
Joint Commission Hospice Accreditation
TJC's hospice accreditation program applies its National Patient Safety Goals and tracer methodology to hospice care — following a patient's care episode across the hospice continuum to evaluate system-level performance.
TJC Strengths for Hospice Organizations
- Tracer methodology evaluates care coordination across the hospice episode
- National Patient Safety Goals provide a structured patient safety overlay
CHAP Hospice Accreditation
CHAP offers both a standalone hospice accreditation and a combined home health and hospice accreditation.
CHAP Strengths for Hospice Organizations
- Combined home health and hospice accreditation available
Choosing the Right Hospice Accreditor
- Payer Requirements: Review managed care hospice contracts for accreditor-specific requirements.
- Hospital Referral Relationships: If hospital discharge planners are a primary referral source, ask them which accreditations they look for.
- Organizational Structure: Dual home health and hospice organizations should evaluate the combined CHAP program or the separate but compatible ACHC programs.
- Organizational Culture: Compare each body's stated mission and survey approach with your hospice's own.
- Preparation Capacity: Organizations with limited internal quality infrastructure may benefit from ACHC's or CHAP's more collaborative survey approach for the first accreditation cycle.
IHS Hospice Accreditation Consulting — ACHC and CHAP
IHS offers hospice accreditation readiness for ACHC and CHAP. Our methodology — gap analysis, IDG documentation review, policy development, QAPI program design, mock survey, and drafted RFI responses for the hospice to submit — applies to either accreditor. IHS does not market Joint Commission hospice readiness. IHS is led by Thomas G. Goddard, JD, PhD, former Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of URAC.
Schedule a Free Discovery Session
Evaluating which hospice accreditor is right for your organization? IHS runs a process-led intake on the options based on your payer mix, referral network, and organizational structure. The first conversation is free.
Schedule a Free Discovery Session