CHAP, OASIS and QAPI: what home health leaders need to know
Paloma Talent · Updated October 6, 2026CHAP is an accrediting organization for home and community-based care, OASIS is the standardized assessment Medicare-certified home health agencies complete, and QAPI is the quality-improvement program every Medicare-certified agency must run. A home health director of nursing is accountable for all three.
CHAP accreditation
The Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP) accredits home health, hospice and other community-based providers. CMS recognizes CHAP accreditation for Medicare-certified home health agencies, so a CHAP survey can stand in for the state certification survey. Agencies preparing for a CHAP survey look for leaders who have been through one.
OASIS
The Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) is the standardized patient assessment Medicare-certified home health agencies complete at the start of care, at recertification, at transfer and at discharge. OASIS data feeds payment and publicly reported quality measures, so accuracy matters.
QAPI
Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) is a required, data-driven program: the agency measures its quality, finds problems and runs improvement projects. Surveyors review the QAPI program.
Licensing in Texas
Texas licenses home health agencies through the Health and Human Services Commission as Home and Community Support Services Agencies (HCSSAs). Agencies that bill Medicare also meet the federal Conditions of Participation.
Questions
Who is responsible for survey readiness in a home health agency?
The administrator and the director of nursing (clinical manager) share it; the DON leads clinical documentation, OASIS accuracy and QAPI.