Streamlining the Accreditation Process

Abstract

For the past year, we have been working to move the entire application process to an online format including the Program Information Form (PIF) and attachments. We are anticipating it to be ready by January 2017. In preparation for the new process, we invited accredited programs to a survey to identify the areas of completing the reaccreditation process that seem especially labor-intensive. We also had an open forum scheduled for the Air Medical Transport Conference in September, but when the conference was rescheduled, we had to cancel the open forum. However, we did receive feedback from 56 accredited services. Some of the comments from our constituents taking the survey online were as follows:“Overall, the most labor-intensive portion of the accreditation process involves the compilation of the attachments. In addition, site surveyors request additional documentation.”“Very time-consuming if done correctly and if any senior leadership changes are made in the middle of an accreditation cycle because the new senior staff must get caught up to speed on all the changes and reason for changes.”“The CAMTS [Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems] manual is very extensive and detail oriented, which is nice for the PIF but makes narrowing down issues/focus point for site survey difficult. Would be nice to have a site survey guide or checklist that could direct the site survey.”“Samples of ‘hypothetical’ or ‘possible’ site survey questions would be very helpful. Samples of acceptable types of forms would be helpful such as meeting minute templates, fatigue risk assessment tools, etc.”“For reaccreditation programs, we continue to have to resubmit the same program information. Can this be done only if information has changed.”“Many of the attachments are the same year to year (ie, Part 135 certification and various corporate documents.”“CAMTS should never give in to pressure to water down the Standards. Accreditation should be rigorous and demanding. There are far too many aircraft competing for patients.” Eileen Frazer, RN, CMTE, is the CAMTS executive director. She can be reached at [email protected] and (864) 287-4177.