Agrace HospiceCare Awarded CHAP Accreditation
Contact: Liz Kopling, Public Affairs Manager, Office: (608) 327-7219, Cell: (608) 772-9653, Liz.kopling@agracehospicecare.org
MADISON, Wis. – Community Health Accreditation Program, Inc., (CHAP) announced today that Agrace HospiceCare has been awarded CHAP accreditation under the CHAP Hospice Standards of Excellence. This is the third consecutive three-year term for which CHAP accreditation has been awarded to Agrace HospiceCare.
CHAP accreditation demonstrates that Agrace HospiceCare meets the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards. Rigorous evaluation by CHAP focuses on structure and function, quality of services and products, human and financial resources and long-term viability. Through CHAP accreditation, Agrace HospiceCare is also automatically certified as a Medicare provider.
“Over the past year, we have focused on our core business, and I feel that the surveyors saw a transformation of Agrace,” said Joan Burke, Agrace HospiceCare Board Chair. “Surveyors stated that overall, they were impressed by Agrace staff, the Madison inpatient facility and the care that Agrace provides. They also said the positive survey outcome was phenomenal for an agency of this size.”
During the CHAP evaluation, surveyors looked at more than 4,500 pieces of information, including Agrace policies, procedures, bylaws and systems. They also conducted interviews and made shadow visits to patients with Agrace staff.
“The surveyors noted the many changes that had been made since the last evaluation and were impressed by both the improvements and the determination of staff to see them through,” said Jane Quinn, vice president of quality and compliance for Agrace. “I believe they could tell how far our commitment to quality has brought us.”
“This accreditation and the positive assessment from the surveyors are a result of Agrace’s deliberate emphasis on developing our staff and replacing complex processes with simple ones that are efficient and help us deliver the best possible end-of-life care in the communities we serve,” said Agrace HospiceCare Acting President Julia Houck.
“We are very pleased that Agrace HospiceCare chose CHAP accreditation,” said Terry A. Duncombe, CHAP president and CEO. “Voluntarily selecting to achieve CHAP accreditation and meeting our high standards of excellence demonstrates Agrace HospiceCare’s commitment to quality. CHAP is delighted to work with their entire team through the ongoing process of quality improvement.”
Agrace HospiceCare provides hospice services to more than 600 patients and their families throughout south central Wisconsin each day. Agrace has been the area’s nonprofit community hospice since 1978.
CHAP is an independent, not-for-profit accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. Created in 1965, CHAP was the first to recognize the need and value for accreditation in community-based care. CHAP is the oldest national, community-based accrediting body with more than 5,000 agencies currently accredited nationwide. Through “deeming authority” granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CHAP has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice and home medical equipment services to determine whether they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards. CHAP’s purpose is to define and advance the highest standards of community-based care.
For more information about the CHAP accreditation process, please visit the CHAP website www.chapinc.org. For additional information on CHAP, please contact Michael Grogan, director of business development, at (202) 862-3413 or mgrogan@chapinc.org.
