Sentara would like to ask the Board to amend the rule (18VAC112-20-131) regarding who can provide educational experiences to include health care organizations accredited by any CMS approved accrediting body empowered to deem CMS accredited provider status.

All Sentara hospital facilities are now accredited by DNV. DNV Healthcare is the leading accreditor of US hospitals integrating ISO 9001 quality compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation per their website. In addition DNV Accreditation requires an annual survey and the organization’s continual compliance with the DNV accreditation process. Sentara Home Care services are accredited by CHAP – Community Health Accreditation Program who is an independent, not-for-profit, accrediting body for community-based health care organizations. CHAP through \"deeming authority” granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has the regulatory authority to survey agencies providing home health, hospice, and home medical equipment services, to determine if they meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and CMS Quality Standards. 

In accordance with Virginia law, the petition has been filed with the Register of Regulations and will be published on December 3, 2012.  Comment on the petition may be sent by email, regular mail or posted on the Virginia Regulatory Townhall at www.townhall.virginia.gov; comment will be requested until December 28, 2012.  Following receipt of all comments on the petition to amend regulations, the Board will decide whether to make any changes to the regulatory language.  This matter will be on the Board’s agenda for its meeting scheduled for February 15, 2013.

The Board has adopted an amendment to section 131 by a fast-track action to replace the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations with "a national accrediting organization granted authority by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to assure compliance with Medicare conditions of participation."