Consultation/Verification Program for Burn Centers
Burn Center Verification is a joint program of the American Burn Association (ABA) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS). To achieve verification, a burn center must meet the rigorous standards for organizational structure, personnel qualifications, facilities resources and medical care services set out in the in the ABA chapter on Guidelines for the Operation of Burn Centers in the ACS publication on Resources For Optimal Care Of The Injured Patient 2006. Elements of this voluntary program include completion of a pre-review questionnaire and an in-depth on-site review by members of the ABA Verification Committee. A written report by the site visit team is reviewed by the ABA Verification Committee and by the Committee on Trauma of the ACS.
Burn Center verification provides a true mark of distinction for a burn center and is an indicator to government, third-party payers, patients and their families, and accreditation organizations that the center provides high quality patient care to burn patients from time of injury through rehabilitation.
Click here for a list of verified burn centers.
About the Consultation/Verification Program
Verification Step-by-Step
| Pre-Visit |
| 1. |
Materials Request
Burn Centers interested in verification or re-verification should send a formal request to the American Burn Association either by email to vineyard@ameriburn.org or (312) 642-9260. Please include contact and mailing information. A packet of materials including a copy of the pre-review questionnaire, information on requirements for verifications, a site visit agenda, and an application form will be sent out upon receipt of the request. Centers should send this request well before their current verification expirates to avoid any lapse in verified status. |
| 2. |
Site Visit Application
Those institutions who wish to apply for verification should send in a completed copy of the application for site visit along with payment to the ABA Central Office. The application includes the date parameters for your site visit and allows Central Office staff to begin scheduling the visit. After selecting site visitors and confirming their availability, the ABA will send an email confirming the date of the visit to the site visit coordinator. |
| 3. |
Pre-Review Questionnaire
Meanwhile, the burn center should be completing the pre-review questionnaire (PRQ). This document can now be completed and submitted online one month before the visit takes place. Once the ABA Central Office receives notification that the PRQ has been completed, the ABA will merge the information into a Word template and review the final document before forwarding it to the reviewers electronically. |
| 4. |
Additional Site Visit Information
Letters containing site visit details like site reviewers contact information and a list of what documentation will be needed for a successful visit will be sent to the hospital one month before the visit takes place.
The hospital is responsible for arranging airport pickup and hotel accommodations for the reviewers. |
| Visit |
| 1. |
Pre-Review Dinner
The burn center should schedule an informal dinner the night before the visit attended by all attendings caring for patients in the burn center, the Nurse Manager(s) and the administrator most directly responsible for the burn center. Here, the reviewers will be able to go over questions they had with burn center personnel in an informal environment. |
| 2. |
Formal Review
The formal visit and review take place the next morning. This meeting will include an introductory meeting, a tour of the burn center, rounds and chart review, followed by an exit interview, usually ending by no later than 1:00 pm. Please note: Pending reviewer’s travel arrangements, it may be requested that chart reviews begin on the day before the review, prior to the pre-review dinner. Please make arrangements to accommodate this request should it be made.
|
| Post-Visit |
| 1. |
Visit Report
Site reviewers prepare the site visit report including their comments and a recommendation, then forward it to the ABA Central Office. Here, it is reviewed again, then sent to the full Verification Review Committee for comments/approval. |
| 2. |
Re/Verification Notification
Upon approval of the report, the hospital is notified of the re/verification by letter. In the case that there are issues with the verification which need to be addressed, or if a focused review needs to be scheduled, that information will be outlined in the letter. |
| 3. |
Plaque
A plaque is ordered and sent to the hospital along with publicity materials. |
The entire verification process takes three to six months.
For more information about Burn Center Verification or to request a packet of materials, please contact Kitty Vineyard at vineyard@ameriburn.org.
For a copy of the presentation given at the Verification Seminar at the 2007 ABA Annual Meeting, please click here.
|
