1. Does not apply special conditions to psych units of acute care hospitals 2. Contracted surveyors only assess compliance with two special conditions-medical records and staff requirements. What's needed 1. Extra scrutiny for patients with psychiatric illness. Additional authority for key-patient care issues, including discharge planning.
Public disclosure plays a minimal role in holding the contracted surveyors accountable.
On the matter of public disclosure, we emphasize our position that such disclosure represents an important step toward enhancing the public accountability of the contracted survey process. HCFA should hold its contracted surveyors more fully accountable for their performance. Increase public disclosure. HCFA should make more information available on the oversight and performance of psychiatric hospitals by, at a minimum, posting information on the Internet. HCFA should negotiate with the Joint Commission to achieve both a more patient-centered survey approach and a more rigorous assessment of discharge planning.