CMS gives DNV Healthcare authority to accredit U.S. hospitals

CMS has given an outside organization the ability to accredit U.S. hospitals for the first time in 30 years. The organization, DNV Healthcare Inc., has been granted this status from now until September 26, 2012. DNV Healthcare is a division of Hovik, Norway-based Det Norske Veritas, which was established in 1864 as an inspector of ships, but now does reviews for many other industries as Nell.

Given DNV's international base, observers expect it to put an increased focus on meeting international standards, particularly ISO 9001, to hospitals in the U.S. It has a system in place already, in fact, to combine CMS's Conditions of Participation with ISO 9001 quality management. The program is known as the National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations (NIAHO). To date, 22 U.S. hospitals have been accredited by NIAHO.

To learn more about DMV:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece