Accreditation Agency Operations

It’s important that health care accreditation agencies remain separate and distinct from the rest of the health care industry. Accreditation agencies are succinct, single-purpose organizations that remain as unbiased and unattached to the health care persons, places, or things they are accrediting as humanely possible; they are also typically non-governmental, though they are often recognized on government websites.

This detachment from the rest of health care may make accreditation agencies seem “out of the loop,” but it ultimately produces neutrality that is beneficial to the health care industry and patient alike. Because of this standard of operation, accreditation agencies that are directly related to a specific health care institution are red flags.

It’s important to note when an accreditation agency seems suspicious. These “false accrediting bodies” are no different from degree mills; in fact, they often are supporting the backbone of degree mills with fake authenticity. Some of the other red flags are:

• Accreditation agencies that are not recognized by other accreditation agencies.
• Accreditation agencies where accreditation is purchased with no campus visit or re-accrediting guidelines.
• Accreditation agencies with no guidelines for accreditation.

False Accrediting Bodies

From time to time, the news mentions doctors that received “fake degrees” from “diploma mills” that allowed them to practice without the proper education. Accreditation agencies are meant to remedy this. Unfortunately, just like how there are phony colleges printed useless degrees, that are false accrediting bodies offering illegitimate accreditation and, worse still, false licensure.

If you feel that you have encountered a health care facility, practitioner, or worker with false accreditation, take some time to research and report the issue to the proper authorities. Remember that, when in doubt, accreditation should be readily available to dilute any speculation of legitimacy.