Revised criterion for including physician practices in surveys.

The Accreditation Committee of the Joint Commission’s Board of Commissioners approved a revision to the “Inclusion of Physician Practices in Survey” policy in “The Accreditation Process (ACC)” chapter of the comprehensive accreditation manuals for hospitals and critical access hospitals. Previously, Joint Commission policy required that a physician practice be included in the hospital’s survey if at least one of the following two criteria were present: 1. The physician practice is included in the hospital’s Medicare cost report as a provider-based practice. This criterion aligns with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reporting requirements, because CMS requires that all services reported on a hospital’s cost report meet all hospital Conditions of Participation (CoPs). 2. The hospital or physician practice portrays to the public that the practice is part of the hospital.