What is accreditation?

Accreditation evaluates the quality and performance of community-based organizations. CHAP accreditation is a voluntary process that validates your compliance with its standards of excellence, which ensure quality, safety, regulatory compliance, and continuous performance improvement. It also provides a competitive advantage and enhances your reputation. CHAP’s seal of approval brings you credibility and demonstrates your commitment to patient-centered quality care, as it has been a symbol of trust and quality for over 55 years.

CHAP accreditation remains valid for three years. The renewal process ensures your organization’s operations align with the latest requirements in the evolving landscape of healthcare at home. It also allows your credibility to stay intact with updates to your accreditation and certifications.

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What are the standards?

CHAP’s Standards of Excellence are a comprehensive set of guidelines and requirements that community-based organizations must meet to become accredited. CHAP’s standards are based on industry practices and cover various areas, including clinical care, patient safety, management practices, and organizational governance. They help your organization build operational effectiveness, ensure high-quality care and compliance, and function optimally to stand out and deliver the best care and services possible. CHAP’s standards of excellence are regularly updated to reflect changes in regulatory and quality requirements and the healthcare landscape. Meeting CHAP standards exhibits your commitment to excellence in healthcare at-home services and patient care.

View Provider-specific standards below:

What’s the difference between CHAP coming or the State coming?

Aspect	CHAP	STATE
Purpose	Voluntary process	Mandatory process, by the State as applicable
Focus	Compliance with CHAP’s Standards of Excellence and the Medicare Conditions of Participation (if applicable)	Compliance with state regulations and the Medicare Conditions of Participation (if applicable)

	Medicare Conditions of Participation (if applicable)	Conditions of Participation (if applicable)
Accrediting Body	Private, non-profit organization	State government agency
Process	Comprehensive assessment based on CHAP standards (and federal regulations, if applicable)	Compliance with state regulations and the Medicare
Frequency	Every 3 years, and more often if required by the CHAP Board of Review. Ongoing compliance with CHAP standards required	Periodic surveys are conducted by the state. NOTE: for federal surveys, the frequency is a minimum of every 3 years. Some states accept CHAP accreditation instead of state licensure surveys
Deemed Status	CHAP makes recommendations to CMS for deemed status; CMS has final approval	The state agency and the MAC approves participation in the Medicare program
Recognition	Recognized nationally as an accrediting organization	Recognized within the state jurisdiction for oversight
Additional Benefits	Can provide a competitive advantage and enhance the organization’s reputation. Potentially fewer state surveys. Accrediting organizations do not apply civil monetary penalties if the agency is significantly out of compliance with federal regulations. Facilitates standardization of processes.	Demonstrates compliance with state (and federal, if applicable) regulations, enhances eligibility for state programs

Homecare vs Home Health?

Though closely related, homecare refers to non-medical personal care services provided to assist patients with day-to-day life. On the other hand, home health involves medical and professional services in the comfort of patients’ homes.

Feature	Home Care	Home Health
Type of Care	Non-medical – Optional nursing services	Medical
Services Provided	Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders, etc.	Skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, etc.
Caregivers	Typically, non-medical caregivers, such as home health aides, personal care assistants, or companions	Skilled healthcare professionals, such as registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), etc.
Purpose	Aids with non-medical tasks and promotes independence for individuals who need help with ADLs, but do not require medical care	Provides medical care and rehabilitative services for individuals with acute or chronic health conditions, recovering from surgery or illness, or in need of ongoing medical management
Payment	Usually paid out-of-pocket or through long-term care insurance	May be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or paid out-of-pocket
Regulations	Less regulated compared to home health	Subject to federal, state, and local regulations, including licensing, certification, and accreditation requirements

Accreditation vs Certification

Aspect	CHAP Accreditation	CHAP Certification
Focus	Organization-level Accreditation	Service or Program-level Certification
Review Process	Comprehensive review and assessment	Education and training programs with exams/assessments
Compliance	Demonstrates compliance with CHAP’s accreditation standards	Demonstrates competency and expertise for services and programs
Credibility	Enhances agency credibility and recognition	Provides recognition for completing education/training programs
Renewal	Ongoing accreditation process with regular re-assessments	Requires renewal for individual certifications
Validity	3 Years	2 Years

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