Report blasts hospital accreditation organization

A federal report will be released today at noon central time blasting an organization which accredits hospitals. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley will unveil the report about what he says is the failure of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations to identify hospitals that don’t comply with Medicare requirements related to patient safety. Grassley says the independent Government Accountability Office found “serious deficiencies” in the accreditation process. He says the powerful commission is expected to be a watchdog for consumers and patients but has actually become “more like a lap dog.” Grassley is introducing bipartisan legislation today, along with a counterpart in the U.S. House, that will bring action against the commission to benefit patient safety.Co-written with Representative Pete Stark, a California democrat, the legislation would give the federal government the authority and responsibility to hold the commission accountable and when necessary, restrict or remove its authority to accredit hospitals.Grassley says patient safety is what’s at stake.