ACHC receives deeming authority extension for critical access hospitals

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) has been granted a six-year extension of its deeming authority by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), allowing the organization to continue evaluating critical access hospitals (CAHs) for compliance with the CMS Conditions of Participation (CoPs) through 2031. This renewal means CAHs can rely on ACHC surveys as a CMS-recognized pathway for demonstrating compliance with federal requirements.  

The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE)continues to support members navigating accreditation through its Physical Environment Survey Readiness Program, which cover standards from all major accrediting organizations, including ACHC. These programs help health care facilities professionals prepare for surveys across the care environment, life safety and emergency management domains.

ASHE’s Compliance Tracker®, a tool used in the courses, offers a practical way for correlating CMS requirements with accrediting organization standards. ASHE encourages those preparing for ACHC surveys to leverage all three of the Physical Environment Survey Readiness Program courses and the Compliance Tracker® to strengthen their preparedness and alignment with regulatory expectations.