The growth of microhospitals could slow if new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) guidance changes what counts as a hospital, according to an article on the Modern Healthcare website.
The Joint Commission, the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program and DNV have said they won't conduct surveys at facilities without at least two active inpatients. The CMS requires hospitals to be accredited in order to receive Medicare payments.
The organizations announced they are making the policy change in response to an under-the-radar guidance the CMS issued in September.
The agency updated the definition of "hospital" and what's needed for a facility to meet the definition of "inpatient facility."