Accreditation, Health Care Organizations & Regulatory Agencies

Vocabulary flashcards covering healthcare accreditation bodies, educational programmatic accreditors, and internal and external regulatory agencies.

Accreditation

A voluntary peer process in which an organization is officially recognized as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity.

Programmatic Accreditation

A voluntary peer review process through which an agency grants recognition to an institution for a program of study that meets specified criteria and sets teaching standards.

JRCERT

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology; an agency that accredits radiologic technology programs.

JRCNMT

Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology.

JRC-DMS

Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

JRCERT Standards

The 6 standards set by JRCERT, consisting of: 1. Integrity, 2. Resources, 3. Curriculum in academic practices, 4. Health & safety, 5. Assessment, and 6. Institutional data.

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

A regional accrediting agency covering 19 States that accredits colleges, universities, and for-profit schools.

The Joint Commission (TJC)

An independent, not-for-profit, predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare that evaluates and accredits more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

American Osteopathic Association (AOA)

A member association representing more than 123,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) that acts as the primary certifying body for D.O.s and accredits all osteopathic medical colleges and health care facilities.

Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.)

A fully qualified physician who can prescribe medications and perform surgery, distinct from an M.D.

American College of Radiology (ACR)

A professional society of 37,770 members (including radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, interventional radiologists, and nuclear medicine physicians) dedicated to making imaging safe, effective, and accessible.

IAC

Intersocial Accreditation Commission; an accrediting agency that provides modality-specific voluntary accreditation.

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA)

Federal legislation under which specific modality-specific accreditations are mandated.

Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA)

Federal act mandating accreditation for mammography modalities.

Regulation

A rule or order issued by an executive authority or regulatory agency of the government and having the force of law.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

An external regulatory agency responsible for enforcing radiation protection standards.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A regulatory agency responsible for controlling radiation exposure.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

A regulatory agency responsible for establishing workplace safety standards.

Infection Control Committee

An internal hospital committee tasked with the control of diseases and epidemic outbreaks.

Radiation Safety Committee

An internal hospital group responsible for regulating radiation safety within the healthcare facility.