What is the Process for Certification to the ISO 9001:2000 Standard?
After the healthcare organization obtains management commitment, a gap analysis should be performed. Many organizations that are accredited by the Joint Commission and correspondingly meet the Medicare Conditions of Participation and state laws and rules have many components of the ISO Standard in place. The organization must define the scope of its Business Management System (e.g. hospital, health system, physician office, and ambulatory surgery center). The organization would then develop the appropriate documentation (define and document its business processes and define their sequence and interaction). The organization would then implement its defined and documented business processes and monitor/measure them for effectiveness. Where processes do not achieve desired outcomes, actions are required to be implemented. Once an organization feels its system has been successfully implemented a pre-assessment (mock survey) would be conducted. If successful, the organization would invite t
