The HCRQI program regulates health care facilities, providers and suppliers in acute care and community-based programs. These include hospitals, home health agencies, in-home care agencies, hospice programs, ambulatory surgical centers, rural health clinics, special inpatient care facilities, end-stage renal disease dialysis facilities, birthing centers, rehabilitation agencies and clinics, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, community mental health centers, hemodialysis technicians and portable x-ray suppliers.
Mission: To ensure that Oregonians have wide access to the health care they need, and that their health care will be safe, of high quality, and meet or exceed State and federal standards. This mission is accomplished through State licensure and federal Medicare certification of health facilities, providers and suppliers.
Goal: To protect the rights of patients receiving health care through monitoring to ensure compliance with standards set forth in State rules and federal regulations.
What We are Doing
- Setting standards for high quality, safe health care through administrative rule promulgation.
- Conducting onsite surveys to evaluate compliance with State licensure rules and federal Medicare conditions of participation and coverage.
- Investigating complaints and allegations of poor medical care.
- Performing onsite building inspections for health care facility construction projects.
- Providing information and education for staff in health care facilities and agencies.
- Completing initial licensure and certification surveys of new providers on a timely basis.
The Difference We are Making
The Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement Program regulates over 400 health care facilities, providers and suppliers in acute care and community-based programs. These include hospitals, home health agencies, in-home care agencies, caregiver registries, ambulatory surgical centers, rural health clinics, special inpatient care facilities, end-stage renal disease dialysis facilities, birthing centers, hospices, rehabilitation agencies and clinics, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, community mental health centers, hemodialysis technicians and portable x-ray suppliers.
Community Based Care program:
Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement (HCRQI) regulates the following health care facilities in the Community Based Care program:
- Community Mental Health Centers
- Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
- Home Health Agencies
- Hospices
- Outpatient Rehabilitation Agencies
- Portable X-ray Units
- Rural Health Clinics
HCRQI conducts onsite surveys and investigates consumer complaints to evaluate compliance with State licensure rules and federal Medicare conditions of participation and coverage.
Acute Care program:
Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement (HCRQI) regulates the following health care facilities in the Acute Care program:
- Hospitals
- Special Inpatient Care Facilities
- Ambulatory Surgical Centers
- Outpatient Dialysis Facilities
- Birthing Centers
HCRQI conducts onsite surveys and investigates consumer complaints to evaluate compliance with State licensure rules and federal Medicare conditions of participation and coverage.
Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement (HCRQI) currently licenses 341 hemodialysis technicians to ensure that minimum standards, as outlined in the regulations, are maintained, and that dialysis patients receive safe and high quality care.
Quick Facts
- Health Care Regulation and Quality Improvement (HCRQI) protects the rights of patients receiving health care through monitoring, to ensure compliance with standards set forth in State rules and federal regulations.
- HCRQI regulates 528 health care facilities, providers and suppliers and 388 hemodialysis technicians.
- HCRQI investigated 147 consumer complaints against health care entities during the 2004 federal fiscal year.
- HCRQI performs onsite building inspections for health care facilities in cooperation and coordination with the State Fire Marshal and the Planning and Safety Review staff.
- HCRQI sets standards for high quality and safe health care through administrative rule promulgation.
- HCRQI completes initial licensure and certification surveys of new providers on a timely basis.
- HCRQI responds to all telephone calls and written requests for program information if at all possible, as soon as they are received.
- HCRQI provides educational support for Medicare programs regarding OASIS and Home Health Agencies, and the Acute Care Hospital Swing Bed program, reporting requirements for the Prospective Payment System (PPS).
HCRQI provides information to the public and the provider community regarding program activities and responsibilities.
