Joint Commission Eligibility for Hospital Accreditation, the organization must be in the United States or its territories, or if outside the United States, is operated by the U.S. government or under a charter of the U.S. Congress. For all programs by law the organization has a facility license or registration to conduct its scope of services. The organization can demonstrate that it continually assesses and improves the quality of its care, treatment, and/or services. .The organization identifies the services it provides, indicating which care, treatment, and/or services it provides directly, under contract, or through some other arrangement. The organization provides services that can be evaluated by Joint Commission standards. If the organization uses its Joint Commission accreditation for deemed status purposes, the organization needs to meets the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The organization must meet parameters for the minimum number of in patients/volume of services required for organizations seeking Joint Commission accreditation for the first time. A hospital that is seeking Medicare Certification and is new to The Joint Commission must have one active inpatient case at the time of survey. If the hospital’s Average Daily Census is 21 or more, or if the hospital is a specialty hospital (cardiac, orthopedic, or surgical), the hospital must be able to provide inpatient records for at least 10 percent of the average daily census, but not less than 30 inpatient records at the time of survey. For hospitals new to the accreditation process or undergoing an initial survey for deemed status purposes, surveyors must be able to review records equal to 10% of the average daily census but not fewer than 30 inpatient records, or for small hospitals not fewer than 20 inpatient records. Certification is earned by programs or services that may be based within or associated with a health care organization. For example, a Joint Commission accredited medical center can have Joint Commission certified programs or services for diabetes or heart disease care. These programs could be within the medical center or in the community. Certification provides an opportunity for staff to develop their skills and knowledge. Achieving certification provides concrete validation. Meeting Joint Commission standards is an accomplishment recognized with the awarding of The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval. Certified organizations proudly display the Gold Seal to advertise their commitment to health care quality.

The American Recovery and reinvestment act has affected the healthcare industry. The biggest benefit is that it lowers overall healthcare costs. It does this by providing insurance for millions, it requires all insurance plans to covers essential health benefits, treatment for mental health, addiction and chronic diseases. Insurance companies can no longer deny anyone coverage for pre-existing conditions, drop them, or raise premiums once they do get sick. Lifetime and annual limits on coverage are eliminated. Parents can add their children up to age 26 on their health insurance plans. Three million previously uninsured young people were added. It has expanded Medicaid to 138% of the Federal poverty level, providing this coverage to adults without children for the first time. Businesses with more than 50 employees must offer health insurance, but receive tax credits to help with the costs. It lowers the budget deficit by $143 billion by reducing healthcare costs. There are 30.1 million people who currently buy private health insurance. Many of them have had their plans cancelled by the insurance company because the plan doesn't meet health benefits. Their costs of replacement insurance are higher because it provides services, like maternity care, that many of them don't need. Another 3-5 million people could lose their company-sponsored health care plans. Many businesses will find it more cost-effective to pay the penalty and let their employees purchase their insurance plans on the exchanges. Those who don't purchase insurance will be assessed a tax. About 4 million people, or 1.2% of the population, will wind up paying the tax rather than purchasing health insurance.

Education and Licensure

Registered Nurse:
After completing a degree program, either an associates or bachelor degree you'll need to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Before taking the exam you need to apply for a nursing license from your state board of nursing. Since each state has different eligibility criteria, The NCLEX exam covers four "categories of needs," according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing: Safe, effective care environment: Management care and safety and infection control psychosocial integrity: Coping and adaptation and psychosocial adaptation Health promotion and maintenance: Growth and development through the life span and prevention and early detection of disease Physiology integrity: Basic care and comfort, pharmacological and parenteral therapies, reduction of risk potential and physiological adaptation

Physician Assistance:
Prospective physician assistants must obtain formal training through an educational program approved by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant. These programs are usually available at the master's level and often require applicants to have bachelor’s degree and some amount of experience in the healthcare profession to gain admission. Most physician assistants serve as emergency medical technicians, nurses or paramedics before pursuing admission to physician assistant programs. Physician assistants are required to be licensed by the state in which they practice. Along with completion of an accredited training program, the licensing process entails passage of the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). PANCE, administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants evaluates fundamental medical and surgical comprehension. Physician assistants must maintain the PA-C designation by earning 100 continuing education credits every two years. They are also required to pass the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam every six years.

Medical Assistance: Most states do not have a formal education requirement for medical assistants, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employers typically prefer candidates who hold at least a high school diploma or educational equivalent. Formal medical assisting training programs are available from community colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes and in some high schools. Formal programs might require high school-level coursework in biology, chemistry and anatomy. Formal medical assisting programs typically lead to either a certificate or a diploma. They do not confer any type of medical assistant license. The ability to interact with patients in a professional and pleasant manner is a must for a medical assistant. Office duties, such as bookkeeping and coding health records, are also part of the job. Strong communication skills and knowledge of medical terminology are required. Being able to recognize medical instruments by name and appearance is also a necessity. Advanced skills include administering injections, performing basic diagnostic tests and taking X-rays.
Physical Therapist
All PTs must be licensed by their states. While each state has its own requirements, most require that candidates have graduate degrees in physical therapy from accredited programs and pass the National Physical Therapy Examination. There may also be continuing education (CE) requirements to maintain licensure, although board certification is voluntary for physical therapists. . The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) offers board certification for physical therapists in eight specialty areas, including cardiovascular and pulmonary, clinical electrophysiology and geriatric physical therapy for certification, you must have licensure and completed at least 2,000 clinical practice hours in your desired area. Eligible candidates who pass a day-long, multiple-choice exam are awarded specially certification. Certified specialists must be recertified after ten years.