What is the Value of CARF Accreditation?

What is the Value of CARF Accreditation? The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities(CARF) was founded in 1966 and is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health in human services in the following areas:

Original Source – CARF website

1. Aging Services
2. Behavioral Health
3. Business and Services Management Networks
4. Child and Youth Services
5. Employment and Community Services
6. Medical Rehabilitation (including DMEPOS)
7. Opioid Treatment Program
8. Vision Rehabilitation Services

CARF accreditation follows a certain process:

1. Consult with a designated CARF resource specialist
2. Conduct a self-evaluation
3. Submit the Intent to Survey
4. CARF invoices for the survey fee
5. CARF selects the survey team
6. The survey team conducts the survey
7. CARF renders the accreditation decision
8. Submit a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)
9. Submit an Annual Conformance to Quality Report (ACQR)
10. CARF maintains contact with the service provider

Value of CARF Accreditation

The benefits provided through CARF accreditation are as follows:

1. Assurance to persons seeking services that a provider has demonstrated conformance to internationally accepted standards.
2. Improved communication with persons served.
3. Person-focused standards that emphasize an integrated and individualized approach to services and outcomes.
4. Accountability to funding sources, referral agencies, and the community
5. Management techniques that are efficient, cost-effective, and based on outcomes and consumer satisfaction.
6. Evidence to federal, state, provincial, and local governments of commitment to quality of programs and services that receive government funding.
7. Guidance for responsible management and professional growth of personnel.
8. A tool for marketing programs and services to consumers, referral sources, and third-party funders.
9. Support from CARF through consultation, publications, conferences, training opportunities and newsletters.

CARF accreditation is difficult to achieve as are other types of accreditation. The standards are updated often which can be difficult for organizations to stay up to date. Additionally, any accreditation process is lengthy and extremely detailed. BHM Healthcare Solutions (BHM) is a healthcare management consulting firm with one of our areas of specialty being accreditation. Our CARF accreditation consultants have developed processes to assist organizations who are seeking either accreditation or re-accreditation. CARF accreditation consulting through BHM consists of the following comprehensive steps:

1. Direction and support in writing effective policies and procedures that are in compliance with applicable accreditation standards
2. Formation of policies to reflect the desired goals of the organization
3. Writing of procedures manuals to reflect the activities of the organization
4. Program creation for credentialing and privileging programs for organization staff
5. Strategic goals for quality management and improvement activities
6. Discussion of benchmarking and risk management strategies that can be implemented by the organization
7. Liaison with the administrator and attorney for preparation of applicable materials
8. Follow-up after the survey.

BHM Healthcare Solutions has achieved 100% success rate for the organizations in which we have provided accreditation assistance. Could your organization be next? For a complimentary consultation, please call 1-888-831-1171.