Are there resources to help prepare for the survey?
Before your CAH survey
The purpose of the CAH survey is to examine facility compliance with
the Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs). Contact your fiscal
intermediary and have them calculate your interim rate.
Make sure you have your written agreements complete with your referring
hospital. Agreement(s) must cover at a minimum:
Referral and Transfer of patients
Transportation services, both emergency and non-emergency
Communications
Agreement for credentialing and quality assurance
Policies and procedures in place for all CAH requirements (i.e. infections
control, pharmacy, emergency department, dietary, nursing, medical records
and outpatient/clinics)
There is grant money available for technical assistance to help with conversion
to CAH. Your facility must match the grant with 20%. So, if you asked
for $20,000 to perform a needs assessment/strategic planning, you would
need to put up $4,000. You may get the application from the Colorado
Rural Health Center at
1-800-851-6782 or 303-832-7493 or email - info@coruralhealth.org.
Technical assistance with Quality Assurance is available at
no cost to your facility from the QIO, the Colorado Foundation
for Medical Care, and Beth Katzenberg (303-784-5702).
