Beginning this summer, rural health clinics that seek Medicare reimbursement will have a framework to standardize how care is delivered.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has given initial deeming authority to the new Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program from The Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. The program is designed to help organizations in underserved rural communities improve the safety and quality of primary care and personal health services.

"With deeming authority from CMS, The Joint Commission will be able to work with rural health clinics across the country to help them establish a quality and safety framework for the more than 60 million Americans living in rural areas," said Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, president and CEO of the commission.