Achieving Compliance with Joint Commission, CLAS and NCQA Standards

9/20/24 4:54 PM

meeting joint commission CLAS NCQA standards in healthcare

Healthcare organizations face growing demands to meet health equity and cultural competency standards, including those from the Joint Commission, CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services) standards, and NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance). Compliance with these guidelines is crucial for delivering equitable care, improving patient outcomes, and meeting payer requirements. Here's how organizations can achieve this compliance efficiently.

Joint Commission health equity standards

The Joint Commission's health equity standards require healthcare organizations to integrate health equity into daily practice. Key actions include:

Data collection: Gather and analyze demographic data, including race, ethnicity, and language preferences, to identify care disparities.
Cultural competency training: Provide ongoing training for staff to improve their ability to serve diverse populations.
Health equity action plans: Implement strategies to reduce disparities and promote equitable care delivery.

Meeting these standards can enhance patient outcomes and accreditation success. Learn more about the Joint Commission’s health equity focus in our post on Joint Commission Health Equity Standards.

CLAS standards for cultural competency

The CLAS standards are guidelines designed to make healthcare services more culturally and linguistically accessible. There are 15 CLAS standards, but the four most critical ones for compliance are:

Governance and leadership: Ensure leadership promotes policies that embed CLAS into daily operations.
Language assistance: Offer free language services to patients with limited English proficiency.
Continuous improvement: Regularly assess services and adapt based on patient feedback and data.
Workforce training: Ensure ongoing staff education in culturally appropriate care.

These standards foster a more inclusive healthcare environment. For more, read our post on Meeting the 4 Most Important CLAS Standards.

NCQA health equity requirements

The NCQA's Health Equity Accreditation focuses on helping healthcare organizations close gaps in care and reduce disparities. These requirements include:

Health equity strategy: Establish a formal strategy to address health disparities across clinical and operational areas.
Data reporting: Track and report race, ethnicity, language, and social determinants of health data.
Health literacy: Ensure materials are accessible and easily understood by diverse populations.

NCQA accreditation demonstrates a commitment to reducing care disparities, which is increasingly tied to payer reimbursement and incentives.

Payer requirements and health equity

Payers, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers, are incorporating health equity metrics into reimbursement models. To meet payer requirements, organizations should:

Report outcomes: Provide data that shows progress in reducing health disparities.
Submit health equity reports: Track and report demographic and outcome data regularly.
Link payments to outcomes: Align reimbursement with health equity performance metrics.

Meeting payer expectations ensures financial stability while enhancing the quality of care for all patients.

Steps for compliance with Joint Commission, CLAS, and NCQA standards

To effectively meet these standards and payer requirements,, healthcare organizations should:

Conduct an equity audit: Assess current practices against Joint Commission, CLAS, and NCQA standards.
Create an action plan: Develop a clear roadmap for meeting health equity goals.
Invest in training: Provide cultural competency and equity training to all staff.
Use technology: Leverage health IT systems to track, analyze, and report demographic data and patient outcomes.

Compliance with Joint Commission, CLAS, and NCQA standards is essential for providing equitable care and maintaining accreditation. By embedding health equity into their operations, organizations can improve patient care, strengthen payer relationships, and meet accreditation requirements effectively.