2026 Accreditation Professional Orientation Certificate Program

August 11, 2026 to August 14, 2026

This activity will provide the participants with a foundational understanding of the continuous accreditation and regulatory readiness process from a regulatory / accreditation perspective. Participants will learn about the history of healthcare regulations / accreditation; regulatory / accreditation sources of truth; managing the continuous readiness process prior to, during and following an external survey visit. Each session will include perspective from those who have successfully addressed requirements and/or a resource to help the participant in their compliance strategy. There will be facets of this program that address knowledge, competence and performance.

Target Audience

Nurses
Other Healthcare Professionals

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

Discuss the roles of leaders and accreditation professionals in continuous accreditation and regulatory readiness.
Identify the sources of truth and strategies for staying current with regulations, standards, and survey processes
Identify the key functions and responsibilities that must be integrated into operations to ensure continuous accreditation compliance and the various approaches that may be used to sustain continuous accreditation compliance.
Identify the fundamental requirements of the CMS hospital CoPs
Describe how to engage operational partners and content experts within an organization to ensure continuous accreditation compliance and optimize effectiveness as accreditation professionals.
Identify resources available through collaboration and networking with other member accreditation professionals.
Demonstrate teamwork among participants.
Define the activities that various continuous accreditation compliance model organization staff perform during an on-site accreditation survey
Describe the appropriate technique for challenging surveyor findings while surveyors are on-site
Identify the critical activities that must occur immediately after accreditation surveyors have left the organization
Identify and discuss the process for reviewing post-survey report and prioritizing findings, potential clarifications (TJC only) and corrective action plans
Identify the differences between CMS post-survey report response and voluntary accreditation survey reports
Define strategies for partnering with the Facilities Management staff to ensure successful implementation for a compliant physical environment program
Develop accreditation communication plans using tools and resources provided.

Course summary

Available credit:

15.50 ANCC
15.50 General CE - Attendance

Course opens:

08/11/2026

Course expires:

10/14/2026

Event starts:

08/11/2026 - 10:00am CDT

Event ends:

08/14/2026 - 2:00pm CDT

Add to calendar:

Faculty & Planners

Faculty
Gina Holiway, MHA, MSN, RN, CLNC
Sr. Director Accreditation Advisory Services
Vizient, Inc.

Wendy Forys, JM, MSN, BS, RN
AVP, Regulatory and Accreditation Services
Vizient, Inc.

John Maurer, MBS, CHFM, CHSP, SASHE, CLSS-HC
Sr. Director Accreditation Advisory Services
Vizient, Inc.

Planners
Natalie Webb, MHA, RN, CPHQ
Accreditation Director
Vizient, Inc.

Wendy Forys, JM, MSN, BS, RN
AVP, Regulatory and Accreditation Services
Vizient, Inc.

John Maurer, MBS, CHFM, CHSP, SASHE, CLSS-HC
Sr. Director Accreditation Advisory Services
Vizient, Inc.

Kim Bentley, CHCP
CE Programs Manager
Vizient, Inc.

Marilu Kelly, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CHCP
Director, Continuing Education
Vizient, Inc.

Identification, Mitigation, and Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships

As an accredited provider of continuing education, Vizient, Inc. is dedicated to ensuring this activity presents learners with only accurate, balanced, scientifically justified recommendations, and is free from promotion, marketing, and commercial bias. In accordance with The Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, all planners, faculty, and others in control of the educational content have disclosed the absence or existence of all financial relationships (of any dollar amount) with ineligible companies within the past 24 months.

Ineligible companies – those companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

It is Vizient’s policy that owners and employees of ineligible companies, and any individuals who refuse to disclose the absence or existence of financial relationships with any ineligible companies are disqualified from participating as planners or faculty.

Disclosure Statements

Absence of Relevant Financial Relationships

None of the planners, faculty, or others in a position to control content for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Statement of Content Validity

Vizient, Inc. educational activities are intended to assist healthcare teams advance their professional responsibilities in accordance with the definition of continuing education. It is the policy of Vizient, Inc. to review and ensure that all content and recommendations for patient care within accredited CE is evidenced-based, based on current science and clinical reasoning while ensuring the content is fair and balanced. All recommendations must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Vizient, Inc. does not permit accredited continuing education if it advocates for unscientific approaches to diagnosis or therapy, or if the education promotes recommendations, treatment, or manners of practicing healthcare that are determined to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or are known to be ineffective in the treatment of patients.

Disclaimer

The education provided through this activity is for continuing education purposes only. The views and opinions expressed in this activity are those of the faculty/presenters and do not necessarily reflect the views of Vizient, Inc.

Course Director(s)