resources
Reference and guidelines
Many healthcare systems base their vendor requirements on guidelines provided by leading industry associations and/or policies established by the U.S. government. Below are resources you may find helpful in establishing your own requirements.
Healthcare industry guidance
The following resources, provided by leading healthcare associations and organizations, include recommendations on how to handle various representatives who operate within your facility.
- Joint Best Practices Recommendation for Clinical Health Care Industry Representative Credentialing (PDF)
AACN, AdvaMed, AORN, HIRA, HMMC, IHAC, IPPS, and MDMA - Health Care Industry Representatives in the Operating Room
American College of Surgeons - Role of the Health Care Industry Representative in the Perioperative/Invasive Procedure Setting
Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) - Health Care Industry/Vendor Representatives Standards FAQs
The Joint Commission
In a statement released on April 15, 2009, The Joint Commission declined to issue any standards that specifically address health care industry/vendor representatives; however, The Joint Commission did point to several applicable standards, including:
- Environment of Care (EC.02.01.01)
- Patient Rights (RI.01.01.01)
- Infection Control (IC.02.01.01)
- Competence (LD.03.06.01 EP4)
- Leadership (LD.04.01.05 EPs 1 and 3)
- Patient Safety Programs (LD.04.04.05 EPs 1, 3, and 4)
Government guidance
The following resources may be helpful in ensuring you are in compliance with regulations established by various U.S. government organizations.
- Compliance Guidance
HHS Office of Inspector General - Health Information Privacy site (HIPAA)
Department of Health and Human Services - Definition of a "Business Associate"
Department of Health and Human Services - Violation of an OIG Exclusion Penalty
Department of Health and Human Services - Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Compliance (joint statement) (PDF)
HHS OIG and American Health Lawyers Association - Vaccines and Immunizations for Healthcare Workers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vendor compliance in healthcare
The following documents conveniently summarize key guidelines and regulations from industry leaders and government.
