The best way to make a wise decision on which accreditation agency to use is to evaluate each of them carefully for yourself. Start by going to each of their websites. When visiting accreditation agency websites, keep the following important considerations in mind while evaluating them:
- Research each accreditation agency to get an overall understanding of their areas of emphasis. Some accrediting organizations focus more on the clinical aspects of your business, some on comprehensive homecare operations, and some focus more on your facilities. Determine which agency approach is a better match for your type of business.
- Decide which survey process is best for you. Not all surveys are conducted in the same manner. Agencies will vary with respect to methodology, expected time for survey and the requirement of a preliminary evidence report. Some agencies even have an unannounced survey while others do not. All of these aspects are important to consider. After careful consideration, one survey process out of all the others may clearly work best for your organization.
- Compare costs. Although price should not be your primary consideration, each agency prices their accreditation service differently. Learn about all of the costs that are involved throughout the accreditation process and beyond when you will have to get re-accredited.
When choosing the right accreditation agency for your company, it pays to do your proper due diligence.