Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare

Define and discuss the differences between licensure, certification, and accreditation as
they relate to health care facilities
Accreditation refers to the process through which a healthcare facility is recognized by a
non-governmental agency for having met certain standards (Goodman, 2020). Accreditation
helps in setting certain achievable standards to improve healthcare delivery. Licensure refers to
the process through which the government grants permission to a health care facility to provide
healthcare services to the general public. Certification is the process through which a government
or a non-governmental body recognizes a healthcare organization for having met certain
standards. Certification can apply to individuals in the health care sector.
Discuss the ethical or legal requirements and responsibilities that a health care
organization has in ensuring its facility is licensed, certified, and accredited.
In the state of Georgia, healthcare facilities have a legal obligation of ensuring that they
meet the minimum requirements for licensure. The Georgia Composite Medical Board has set
various requirements, including the verification of credentials and the evaluation of the medical
facility (Sciences, & National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017). After
being licensed, the health care facilities have the responsibility of improving quality and meeting
the required standards for accreditation and certification (Sciences, & National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017). Various government and non-governmental
agencies. The accrediting agencies include the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the
American Medical Accreditation Program, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations.

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Define and discuss the differences between the licensure and certification as they relate to
healthcare providers or professionals
Licensure alludes to the action of the state to grant authority to an individual or a
healthcare organization to practice in the healthcare field (Chahine, 2019). A license acts as a
legal endorsement that an organization or an individual has met the minimum standards required
for competency. Individuals in the healthcare sector are tightly regulated through licensure to
ensure that they have met the required level of proficiency (Goodman, 2020). Licensure also
helps in safeguarding the safety of the general public. Individuals and organizations that have
been licensed have the authority to practice subject to regulation by the federal and the state
government. Licensure is mandatory, and one who practices without obtaining a license is liable
to administrative penalties. One may also be criminally liable for practicing without being
licensed.
On the other hand, certification is done by private entities. Certification requires an
individual to volunteer to be evaluated by a non-governmental agency. While licensure is
mandatory, certification is voluntary in nature. Certification seeks to recognize individuals who
have advanced skills and knowledge. The law does not place any requirement on individuals in
the healthcare sector to get certified before practicing. Certification seeks to distinguish one
practitioner from the other. Certification is seen as a method of self-promotion where healthcare
providers and professionals market their services to the public by referring to the certifications
that they have received from various reputable organizations.
Discuss the ethical or legal requirements and responsibilities that a health care
organization has in ensuring its staff members are licensed and certified.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE 4

Maintaining competency and education of healthcare professions are serious issues that
are tightly regulated through various oversight structures. Some regulatory structures are
voluntary, while some are mandatory. It is the legal responsibility of all healthcare organizations
to ensure that all its professional employees are licensed under the applicable state laws and
regulations (Chahine, 2019). Professionals should only be hired if they have met the necessary
standards set by regulatory agencies. All healthcare organizations also have a legal responsibility
of ensuring that their employees actively meet the set standards by ensuring that they renew their
licenses. On the other hand, healthcare organizations have an ethical obligation of ensuring that
all professional is certified by the relevant non-governmental bodies. Certification ensures that
the quality of healthcare services continues to improve. Requirements of certification go beyond
the competency requirements. As a result, ensuring that all employees are certified is essential in
ensuring that quality services are delivered to all patients.
Research and discuss an accrediting body that will provide accreditation to the facility you
are proposing
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is an
organization based in the United States that accredits healthcare organizations and programs. The
organization was renamed in the year 1951 (Knebel & Greiner, 2003). The mission of the
organization is to guarantee the continuous improvement of healthcare service delivery. The
organization also seeks to continuously enhance the quality and safety of healthcare delivery.

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JCAHO accredits many healthcare organizations. Doctor’s offices, hospitals, and nursing homes
are some of the organizations that JCAHO accredits. Providers of home care services, as well as
behavioral health treatment facilities, can also receive accreditation from JCAHO. JCAHO
undertakes surveys and relies on a team of well-trained surveyors whose main duty is to assess
the compliance of organizations with the set standards. The organization offers a three-year
award in the accreditation process (Knebel & Greiner, 2003). However, laboratory services
receive a two-year award. The organization has achieved various milestones, including helping
in boosting the quality of healthcare services offered in the United States. The commission has
helped in boosting the confidence of the citizens in the quality of healthcare services delivered.
The organization has also helped in providing a competitive edge in the market place.
Competition has helped in improving the quality of services delivered to patients. The
accreditation process has also been very useful in risk management and risk reduction. Safety
and quality of care have been improved over the years due to the accreditation process.

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References

Chahine, E. B. (2019). Licensure, Certification, and Credentialing. In Comprehensive Healthcare
Simulation: Obstetrics and Gynecology (pp. 71-76). Springer, Cham.
Goodman, G. R. (2020). Hospital facility safety standards. In Clinical Engineering
Handbook (pp. 728-730). Academic Press.
Knebel, E., & Greiner, A. C. (Eds.). (2003). Health professions education: A bridge to quality.
National Academies Press.
Sciences, S., & National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017, September).
Accreditation, Certification, and Credentialing. In Training the Future Child Health Care
Workforce to Improve the Behavioral Health of Children, Youth, and Families:
Proceedings of a Workshop. National Academies Press (US).