Posted June 15, 2006
Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare: e-News
Organ Transplant Center Certification
The number of organ transplants performed across the nation has increased significantly over the past 16 years. Nonetheless, over 87,000 adults and children are currently waiting for organ transplants. Transplantation is currently available for kidney, liver, intestine, heart, lung, and pancreas replacement. As the number of organ transplantations increase, so too does the need for quality oversight of the transplant centers that are performing these life-saving procedures.
The Joint Commission is developing a new certification program that would provide an independent, comprehensive evaluation of hospital-based Organ Transplant Center programs. The requirements proposed for the evaluation of Organ Transplant Center programs are based on the January 2005 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rule for Approval and Re-Approval of Transplant Centers to Perform Organ Transplants.
To be eligible for Joint Commission certification, an organ transplant center would be required to be located in a Joint Commission-accredited hospital that is a member of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) in the transplant hospital category.
A field review seeks field and stakeholder input respecting the proposed requirements. The Organ Transplant Center certification program is tentatively scheduled to launch in Winter 2006.
Proposed requirements for organ transplant centers seeking Joint Commission certification, based on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Proposed Rules for the Approval and Re-Approval of Transplant Centers to Perform Organ Transplants are being reviewed.
Website Link to Field Review: http://www.jointcommission.org/Standards/FieldReviews/ or contact Arlene McLean-Batts - Division of Standards and Survey Methods, (630) 792-5919 or amclean-batts@jcaho.org .
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