AASM and Joint Commission accreditations are the gold standard for sleep labs.  And now, more and more Medicare administrators and private pays across the country are requiring accreditation to qualify for reimbursement. Marketing competition in large population areas is also becoming intense, so sleep labs need to be working to attain accreditation.

SCMI’s highly experienced sleep lab accreditation preparation team will provide service that can reduce your preparation timeframe, lessen your workload, and minimize the stress and worry over not being prepared for your site visit.

SCMI’s offers either individual step services or a complete accreditation service package that includes four steps.  While most of our clients engage us for full preparation services, some prefer to employ individual steps or even hourly consultation, all of which can be provided, to address accreditation issues and needs.

SCMI’s four-step accreditation service includes:

1.  Accreditation Readiness Analysis

The first step is a comprehensive evaluation of your sleep center's present status compared to the latest 2011 AASM accreditation standards.

• The readiness analysis is completed but your leadership team and yourself using a checklist provided by SCMI.
• We request that this analysis is completed within one week.
• A follow-up phone call with your leadership team will be completed to discuss the analysis.
• Within five business days of this phone call to discuss the analysis, you will receive a phone call to discuss the Readiness Analysis report outlining specifically what your sleep center team must do to make your sleep center in compliance with all AASM accreditation standards and therefore be able to achieve AASM accreditation success.

Our advisor will answer team questions and challenge team members in their efforts to exemplify and achieve AASM accreditation standards.  This can be accomplished via telephone, conferences and Skype.

It is a requirement for accreditation that you can demonstrate the use of an organized database so that you are able to retrieve the appropriate information and requested in the accreditation application.

Under our Advisor's direction, your staff will be required to obtain essential accreditation statistics and information.  This may slow down the accreditation timeline without a dedicated support. You may wish to consider purchasing SCMI’s sleep specific services database that can provide for your current management and future re-accreditation needs.  It has the effectiveness and organization necessary to fulfill accreditation requirements and could be implemented now with economies of scale efforts from your staff.  If you have further questions about this please call us for clarification.  

2.  Accreditation Application Guidance and Review

Our advisor will work with you and your designated staff person to provide guidance for completing your AASM Accreditation Application.  She will review the application completed by your staff to ensure it is complete and a ‘best practices’ representation prior to application submission.  

The application step is very important since, as mentioned during our conversation, AASM has recently placed much greater emphasis on the information provided on Applications. Failure to meet the requirements will delay the scheduled site visit, hence delay of the accreditation.  

3.  Technical Policies and Procedures Manual Review

Our Advisor will guide your designated staff member to update, customize, and revise your current Technical Policy & Procedure manual.  To facilitate this step:

4.  Mock Accreditation Site Visit

Our Advisor will come to your sleep centers to conduct the on-site, mock accreditation visits.

· This is scheduled when you and your sleep team have completed all the necessary compliance actions noted in the Readiness Analysis report. 

· The purpose of this comprehensive mock visit is to conduct a thorough and complete ‘test run’ which provides valuable and necessary feedback to assist your sleep team in attaining maximum standards in preparation for your actual AASM accreditation site visit.

· This will be scheduled within six (6) months of the origination of the contract, unless extenuating circumstances require a delay for three (3) months.

AASM accreditation is well worth the hard work.  By obtaining the AASM accreditation your sleep center will fulfill required and future changes related to all third party payor reimbursements. 

This investment will also provide a positive return on investment, since AASM Accreditation allows you to market your sleep center’s high quality standards in your catchment area, attracting even more physician referrals and direct patient contacts to your sleep center. 

Call SCMI at 1-888-556-2203 to obtain a specific proposal that customizes your accreditation preparation options and our professional fee for your accreditation preparation service. 

The SCMI team will assist you in achieving AASM, TJC or ACHC accreditation!