This summer, rural health clinics get a boost from CMS to improve quality of care

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.

Rural health clinics that seek Medicare reimbursement must be accredited by an organization with deeming authority. Rural health clinics eligible for the new accreditation program must meet all state and federal requirements, including location, staffing and health care services requirements. Participants also must meet The Joint Commission’s standards based on CMS Conditions for Certification for rural health clinics, with additional specific requirements critical to patient safety and quality. The standards focus on these key operational areas:

• Emergency preparedness
• Health information management
• Infection control
• Medical error mitigation
• Medication management
• Patient assessment and care
• Patient rights
• Performance improvement
• Staff competency

There currently are 5,252 active rural health clinics in the United States, providing primary health care services to more than seven million people in 47 states. The 15% of Americans who live in rural communities must drive an average of 17 minutes to reach the nearest hospital, which is nearly 65% longer than the average drive in urban communities, according to a 2018 report by Pew Research Center.

Related: Operating in the red: Half of rural hospitals lose money, as many cut services

Aside from the distance from health care providers, many rural Americans suffer from conditions that put their health at risk, such as high blood pressure and obesity. Rural Americans also are more likely to die from heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury, chronic lower respiratory disease and stroke than their urban counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The new Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program closely aligns with The Joint Commission’s strategic priority area on health care equity for all,” Perlin said. “All patients deserve access to safe and quality care, regardless of their location.”