Preach On, Brother!

It’s all about having policies that in the words of my (current and/or former) supervisors “have to be written down, but not necessarily followed”. I’ve been working on the requirements for accreditation, and having to make up shit, or at least massage it to make it fit and look good. I’m glad I’m going to an agency that’s already been through it.

It’s all about having policies that in the words of my (current and/or former) supervisors “have to be written down, but not necessarily followed”. I’ve been working on the requirements for accreditation, and having to make up shit, or at least massage it to make it fit and look good. I’m glad I’m going to an agency that’s already been through it.

Metro is CAAS certified. From what I hear, I’m glad I missed the pony show. But, then again I went through at least 3 JHACO inspections at the Grady’s (hospital based EMS – sigh), and the crap they seemed to squeeze on had absolutely nothing to do with EMS operations. No esacping their wratht though.

Metro is CAAS certified. From what I hear, I’m glad I missed the pony show. But, then again I went through at least 3 JHACO inspections at the Grady’s (hospital based EMS – sigh), and the crap they seemed to squeeze on had absolutely nothing to do with EMS operations. No esacping their wratht though.

I have been fortunate in missing the CAAS people. I have been through JCAHO a couple of times and county medic unit recertification. We have it easy compared to what JCAHO puts the hospitals through.Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe CAAS is as bad as JCAHO. That is a really depressing thought.

I have been fortunate in missing the CAAS people. I have been through JCAHO a couple of times and county medic unit recertification. We have it easy compared to what JCAHO puts the hospitals through.Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe CAAS is as bad as JCAHO. That is a really depressing thought.

Rogue Medic, CAAS isn’t as bad as JCAHO, but then again, they don’t have as big a stick to wield.I’ve been hearing rumblings for years about insurers giving favored reimbursement rates to CAAS accredited EMS systems, or even eventually requiring accreditation as a condition of payment. If that happens, look for them to become our version of JCAHO.Revmedic said it best – they look for policies that are written down, but don’t particularly care if they’re followed. It’s mental masturbation to the pages of a P&P manual.

Rogue Medic, CAAS isn’t as bad as JCAHO, but then again, they don’t have as big a stick to wield.I’ve been hearing rumblings for years about insurers giving favored reimbursement rates to CAAS accredited EMS systems, or even eventually requiring accreditation as a condition of payment. If that happens, look for them to become our version of JCAHO.Revmedic said it best – they look for policies that are written down, but don’t particularly care if they’re followed. It’s mental masturbation to the pages of a P&P; manual.

I blame the doctors. When they handed the administration of the medical industry over to the MBAs they created this monster. And now we have to deal with it.

I blame the doctors. When they handed the administration of the medical industry over to the MBAs they created this monster. And now we have to deal with it.

a pox on the house of JCAHO. We just had a little visit, and now every surface in the hospital is covered with stupid little signs.

a pox on the house of JCAHO. We just had a little visit, and now every surface in the hospital is covered with stupid little signs.

I just got told that the ED admitting staff have to give us a ‘special’, edited version of the face sheet. It cannot have the patients’ ‘diagnosis’ on it. That would be what WE told THEM was wrong with the patient when we brought them in…Stoopid rules…

I just got told that the ED admitting staff have to give us a ‘special’, edited version of the face sheet. It cannot have the patients’ ‘diagnosis’ on it. That would be what WE told THEM was wrong with the patient when we brought them in…Stoopid rules…

JHACO…groan. One more reason I was glad I went to law enforcement, that is until I met CALEA. Hmph.

JHACO…groan. One more reason I was glad I went to law enforcement, that is until I met CALEA. Hmph.

Maybe I will be retired by the time CAAS is more dangerous.

Maybe I will be retired by the time CAAS is more dangerous.

from what I saw of it (remember, Im just a grunt) our CAAS accreditation of some guy with a clipboard making sure we had flashlights, phillips head screw drivers, and a blood tubing.Cause I use blood tubing so much in my day to day patient care.-MM

from what I saw of it (remember, Im just a grunt) our CAAS accreditation of some guy with a clipboard making sure we had flashlights, phillips head screw drivers, and a blood tubing.Cause I use blood tubing so much in my day to day patient care.-MM

I think in my field it’s NCQA that has whittled the patient out of the picture and has me wanting to quit.Frankly, I want out of healthcare altogether thanks to all the insanity. But then that’s nothing new.

I think in my field it’s NCQA that has whittled the patient out of the picture and has me wanting to quit.Frankly, I want out of healthcare altogether thanks to all the insanity. But then that’s nothing new.

Ted, The only thing worse than an MBA running the business side of a medical operation is having a DOCTOR do it. Everyone I know pretty much sucks at business. Especially the MDs with MBA or MPHs. All of these “accreditation” outfits are rackets. A friend of mine is in the electronic manufacturing business. His bosses looked at getting the much sought after ISO9001 rating and decided it wasn’t worth the aggravation. I have to laugh whenever I see new paint, screens, and other improvements to ERs. I know that it’s once again JCAHO time. It always reminds me of those World War II movies where the Germans give the POWs new clothes and blankets when the Red Cross is coming, only to take them away once the inspection is over. The point, and I do have one, is that there is the world of JCAHO, CAAS, ISO, and then there is the real world. Gary

Ted, The only thing worse than an MBA running the business side of a medical operation is having a DOCTOR do it. Everyone I know pretty much sucks at business. Especially the MDs with MBA or MPHs. All of these “accreditation” outfits are rackets. A friend of mine is in the electronic manufacturing business. His bosses looked at getting the much sought after ISO9001 rating and decided it wasn’t worth the aggravation. I have to laugh whenever I see new paint, screens, and other improvements to ERs. I know that it’s once again JCAHO time. It always reminds me of those World War II movies where the Germans give the POWs new clothes and blankets when the Red Cross is coming, only to take them away once the inspection is over. The point, and I do have one, is that there is the world of JCAHO, CAAS, ISO, and then there is the real world. Gary

I have been preaching for years that Press Ganey is nothing more than a tool that validates some administrator’s job (and that is the polite version). I had never heard of Press Ganey until a family member was hospitalized in a facility that was rated “# 1 for patient satisfaction” and no expense was spared advertising this on every floor, unit, lobby, waiting room and dining area of the hospital. This facility even had multiple yard signs posted every 10 feet on the front lawn that screamed the proclamation “WE’RE # 1.” Long story short, this family member barely survived his multi months stay at this hospital but he sure had the nicest, friendlist most accomadating hospital staff to be found in 4 states. And that is my nonstatistical correlation between Press Ganey ratings and patient outcomes. Please, don’t even get me started on JCAHO.