R911-10-6. Department-Approved Accreditation Service

To be recognized as a department-approved accreditation service, a service must meet the following criteria: (1) provide evidence of timely reviews of applications from air ambulance providers seeking accreditation; (2) publish standards that address the components of medical transport impacting quality of patient care and provider safety; (3) outline procedures for random site visits, audits, and other strategies utilized to ensure an accredited provider or a provider seeking accreditation is adhering to accreditation standards; (4) publish policies for the initial accreditation requirements, including: (a) the tenure of accreditation, not to exceed three years; (b) the requirements for reaccreditation; and (c) the accreditation decision-making process; (5) use trained personnel, including site surveyors, with experience in medical transport at the level of accreditation and licensure; (6) utilize a formal training program that educates accreditation personnel, including site surveyors, in consistent interpretation of standards and policies of the accreditation provider; (7) publish the required qualifications for accreditation personnel who conduct site surveys that demonstrate experience with and knowledge of the air ambulance industry; (8) demonstrate that accreditation standards are updated to comply with national standards in healthcare and air medical transportation; (9) have a multi-disciplinary board of directors representing medical transport organizations; (10) clearly outline and enforce a conflict of interest policy that excludes board members or other accreditation agency representatives from participating in accreditation decisions, site surveys, or other processes when a real or potential conflict of interest exists; (11) publish fees for providers seeking accreditation; (12) utilize and provide documentation of an open process that encourages and accepts comments on changes to its accreditation standards; (13) explain the procedure for a corrective action plan, which assures that air ambulance providers will implement corrective actions for any identified deficiencies; (14) demonstrate a continuous quality improvement process that reviews the application process, site surveys, accreditation decisions, and accreditation standards; (15) maintain and be able to present current certificates of insurance to include: (a) general liability; and (b) medical professional liability; and (16) allow a department representative to be present during site surveys, investigations, and any other on-site visit.