In addition to offering peer review services to rural hospitals, Washington Hospital Services’ Health Care Quality Services (WHS-HQS) also provides peer review to rural health clinics, whether hospital-based or free standing.
Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revised its Conditions for Certification for Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to include an annual total program evaluation. Part of this evaluation requires a review of a representative sample of clinical records of RHC patients. This sample must include at least 5 percent of the RHC’s current patients or 50 records, whichever is less. (See section J-0161 in the CMS State Operations Manual – Appendix G). WSHA would be more than happy to discuss different peer review options with you.
For more information, please contact WHS Peer Review Program Manager Rich Boucher at richb@wsha.org or (206) 216-2504. (Rich Boucher)
