Certification

Many hospices choose to obtain independent certification regarding their operation through independent accrediting organizations that specialize in healthcare. Accreditation primarily allows the hospice to be able to communicate to referral sources, health care providers, and community in general that the hospice has met objective standards for quality of care.

CHAP, JCAHO, and OHA are some of the recognized certifying healthcare organizations. You can learn more about these and more accrediting agencies in HD's glossary. 

The absence of a certification in a hospice's profile does not suggest that the hospice is providing less than quality care. The certification process is expensive and time consuming, and some hospices may lack the resources to devote to such a rigorous process.

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