Learn about choosing a consultant
AAAHC recognizes that some organizations are interested in consulting support to assist in facility setup and accreditation preparation. Please feel free to reach out to us for suggestions on factors to consider when selecting a consultant. Additionally, we encourage you to ask your peers or respective professional associations for referrals to consultants that may be able to assist with your accreditation compliance needs.
Do Your Homework!
As any financial consultant will tell you, sound investing takes research, analysis, and verification. Similarly, health care accreditation is an investment in the future of a facility and in the well-being of patients. Organizations seeking initial or reaccreditation often hire health care consultants to help them prepare for an accreditation survey and maintain compliance throughout the accreditation term. Hiring the right consultant for your organization requires some due diligence. We’ve outlined a few questions to get you started with finding a good match.
What type of experience best matches with your practice model?
Does your facility have one service line or are you a multispecialty practice? Depending upon your answer, you will want to know a candidate’s qualifications and professional experience within your specific practice setting.
In what areas are you looking for expertise—clinical, operational, or physical environment?
If the consultant you are considering has a clinical or operational background within a health care facility, you will want to know these details. Likewise, you will want to know about the depth of knowledge and value they possess related to the physical environment, particularly in relation to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes applicable to Medicare certification.
Are you pursuing Medicare certification?
If you are an ASC seeking Medicare certification, ideal candidates should have familiarity with different code sets. If they don’t cite experience working with NFPA codes currently in use by CMS, then you may want to look elsewhere or consider hiring a second consultant to address physical environment requirements. CMS has adopted the 2012 edition of NFPA 99 and 101 for all ASCs built after July 4, 2016, and the 1999 edition of NFPA 99 and 2000 edition of NFPA 101 for existing ASCs. Often, other regulatory bodies are involved in the oversight and permitting for an ASC, which will have adopted more recent code editions that may conflict with each other and/or those adopted by CMS. It is essential that the consultant you choose has sufficient knowledge and experience to navigate these potentially complex compliance landscapes.
How much consulting experience does the candidate have?
Ask candidates to provide both their professional and academic credentials.
Can they offer any references for which they have previously provided consulting services relevant to your needs?
Feedback from your colleagues in other facilities is incredibly valuable in assessing fit with your style and organization. They can provide firsthand knowledge about how this individual works. Is the consultant accessible? Does he or she understand the type of services you offer and “speak the language” of your organization/specialty? If versed in the physical environment, how many ASCs have he or she successfully designed and/or assisted in becoming accredited and/or Medicare certified?
What should you expect from the process?
Understanding your own expectations is essential. What are your goals and how do you want to work with the consultant to accomplish these expectations? Will there be phone consultations, readiness assessment surveys, staff education, or training opportunities? Will the results of the consultant’s assessment include reference to respective AAAHC Standards and/or NFPA requirements? Will it advise on how to achieve compliance for each item noted in their report? Be clear on what you need from the process. Doing a self-assessment of your facility may help identify areas of concern that provide a basis for focused discussions with your consultant. Involve your team by jointly draft learning objectives and goals. Preliminary steps like these, completed before decisions are made, will guide the scope and approach to the consultative services.
Last but not least, what will it cost?
Is there a flat fee or an ala carte fee schedule? Are you buying a pre-defined number of hours or is that open-ended based on completion of the project? Facility decision-makers and gatekeepers will need this data before plans are finalized and contracts signed.
Finding a consultant that is right for your organization takes extra effort. However, engaging in this preliminary Q&A may spell the difference between a beneficial or a disappointing experience. Ultimately, the goal is accreditation and continuous quality compliance for your facility, so choose wisely by gathering the information necessary before hiring. You want to maximize the benefits of engaging a professional consultant by taking the time to make a thoughtful choice. Getting it right may result in this person becoming an ongoing resource for your clinical or administrative staff.
