A Unique Low Cost-High Value Hyperbaric Facility Accreditation Program

A unique low cost-high value hyperbaric facility accreditation program is now available. Launched earlier this year by the National Board of Diving & Hyperbaric Medical Technology, it is intended, in part, to overcome the existing program’s poor uptake and retention, although with an entirely different focus. Rather than determining if a given facility’s documentation is in order, this new program focuses directly on clinical/operational performance, patient safety and related compliance. Namely, are hyperbaric team members doing what they are meant to be doing rather than what they should be doing. It is determined by direct observation of compliance with the team’s daily routine. This performance-based approach has already borne fruit by identifying critical shortcomings in facilities considered documentation-based compliant. 

The program is unique in several other ways. To overcome frustrations related to variable surveyor knowledge and experience, the National Board set a particularly high bar for surveyor appointments through the creation of a hyperbaric-specific subject matter expert definition. As outlined in the attachment, it does much to ensure unparalleled surveyor knowledge and expertise.

 Another notable difference is the absence of an arbitrary waiting period for facilities to apply for accreditation. The National Board believes that a newly introduced program is most vulnerable during its formative period, so it is likely to benefit most from an early independent authoritative review.

The application fee is considerably less expensive as the National Board is not approaching facility accreditation as a new revenue-generating opportunity. What is charged represents an essential pass-through of associated facility survey expenses. Accreditation costs are recognized as an application barrier. So, too, subsequent value equation concerns, both of which have factored in the existing accreditation program’s quarter century of low uptake and poor retention.Five National Board surveyors are assigned to each facility. Three of whom (a physician, ACHRN, and CHT) remotely review a highly focused electronically submitted documentation set. A separate two-person onsite team (any combination of nurse-technologist) remains ever-present within the hyperbaric facility closely observing clinical operations and direct delivery of patient care, guided by 28 tracers. Onsite findings are submitted to the offsite team for further review prior to their recommendation to the National Board for voting. Options are accreditation awarded; accreditation pending minor requirements; accreditation pending major requirements, and accreditation denied.   

If you would like to learn more about this program or wish to schedule an informative 30-minute Zoom presentation, please visit www.nbdhmt.org or contact accred.nbdhmt@gmail.com