Health Center Program Compliance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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The term “site visit” in these FAQ refers to:
- Operational Site Visits (OSVs) conducted for awardees
- OSVs conducted for look-alikes
- Initial Designation (ID) site visits conducted for look-alike applicants
The information in these FAQ only relates to requirements and processes of the HRSA Health Center Program.
Clinical staffing
This question relates to Element c. Procedures for Review of Credentials
All health center staff classified as clinical by the health center are required to have documentation of basic life support training in their provider files.
Clinical staff include:
- Licensed independent practitioners (for example, Physician, Dentist, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner);
- Other licensed or certified practitioners (for example, Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Dietitian, Certified Medical Assistant); and
- Other clinical staff (for example, Medical Assistants or Community Health Workers in states, territories, or jurisdictions that do not require licensure or certification).
For more information, refer to the Health Center Program Compliance Manual Chapter 5: Clinical Staffing.
In addition, each service site in a health center's scope of project (as documented on Form 5B: Service Sites) is also required to have the clinical capacity to respond to emergencies, as demonstrated by having at least one staff member trained and certified in basic life support present at the site during regularly-scheduled hours of operation. For more information, refer to the Health Center Program Compliance Manual Chapter 7: Coverage for Medical Emergencies During and After Hours.
(Updated: 3/8/2023)
This question relates to Element c. Procedures for Review of Credentials and Element e: Credentialing and Privileging Records
HRSA does not define the specific type of basic life support training required to demonstrate compliance with the credentialing requirements in the Health Center Program Compliance Manual Chapter 5: Clinical Staffing. The health center defines what constitutes basic life support training, including the extent, type, and required documentation and whether there is variation based on provider type.
For example, certain licensed independent practitioners (LIPs) may have documentation of basic life support training included as part of their licensure/certification. In such cases, a health center may determine that such documentation satisfies this aspect of the credentialing process. For other provider types that do not have basic life support training as part of their licensure or certification, the health center ensures completion of separate or additional basic life support training. An example of training documentation could include a certificate of completion or course completion dates.
The health center also determines what role it plays in providing basic life support training for clinical staff. For example, some health centers may contract with an organization that provides periodic basic life support training for all staff. Other health centers may use online basic life support training classes or allow health center staff to independently complete relevant training.
(Updated: 3/8/2023)