The ACS Verification Review Day: A Workable Timeline (So You Can Breathe)
Spoiler alert: The ACS Verification Review Day isn’t designed to terrify—it’s designed to clarify. Think of it as a high‑stakes dress rehearsal for excellence: reviewers validate your systems, your performance improvement (PI) engine, and the way you turn data into better outcomes (American College of Surgeons [ACS], 2025a).
Before the Review Day (a.k.a. “Preventable Panic Reduction”)
Apply early: Submit your site visit application 13–14 months ahead of your preferred date; visits are confirmed ~90 days prior, and your PRQ must be marked complete 45 days before the visit (ACS, 2025a; ACS, 2025c).
Know the playbook: The 2022 Standards (revised Dec 2022, Dec 2023, July 2025) define what reviewers will expect—commitment, readiness, resources, patient care, and PI (ACS, 2025a; ACS, 2025d).
The Two‑Day On‑Site Agenda (Example)
Day 1
11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. — Chart audit + PI/PIPS evaluation. Reviewers correlate the medical record with your PI loops (Coffee: recommended; defensiveness: not) (ACS, 2025a).
6:00–8:30 p.m. — Review meeting. Expect targeted questions; keep answers crisp and evidence‑backed (ACS, 2025a).
Day 2
7:00–8:00 a.m. — Hospital tour. Show how the system actually works—ED, OR, ICU, blood bank, transfer workflows (ACS, 2025a).
8:00–9:00 a.m. — Additional assessments. Injury prevention documents and any other requested materials (ACS, 2025a).
9:00–10:00 a.m. — Closed reviewer meeting. You wait; they synthesize (ACS, 2025a).
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Exit interview. Not a cliffhanger—clear findings, strengths, and opportunities (ACS, 2025a).
The Two‑Day Virtual Agenda (Example)
Day 1
8:00–8:30 a.m. — Introductions. Logistics, scope, who’s on screen (ACS, 2025b).
8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. — Chart audit (screen share). EMR navigation matters—assign a nimble “click captain” (ACS, 2025b; McMahon, 2020).
1:30–3:00 p.m. — Program documents review. Policies, PI minutes, loop closure evidence (ACS, 2025b).
3:00–4:30 p.m. — Review meeting (ACS, 2025b).
Day 2
8:00–9:30 a.m. — Virtual hospital tour. Use a stable, well‑mounted tablet/phone; avoid wobbly workstations on wheels (ACS, 2025b.; The Trauma Pro, 2023).
9:30–10:00 a.m. — Closed reviewer meeting (ACS, 2025b).
10:00–10:30 a.m. — TMD & TPM meeting. Strategic clarifications—no surprise monologues (ACS, 2025b).
10:30–11:30 a.m. — Exit interview. Summaries + next steps (ACS, 2025b).
Reality check: As of now, ACS VRC site visits are being conducted virtually, with agendas, checklists, and templates available through QPort (ACS, 2025a).
Pro Tips (Because Calm Is a Competitive Advantage)
Lead with PI loop closure. Show the journey from finding the issue to sustained change—this is the heart of verification (Fischer et al., 2021; Cardell et al., 2024).
Make documentation “reviewer‑ready.” Tab or hyperlink PRQ sections; prep case lists; confirm chart access before Day 1 (ACS, 2025a; McMahon, 2020).
Tour like a producer. Script the route, test audio, designate a guide, and keep movement smooth (ACS, 2025b; The Trauma Pro, 2023).
Remember the “why.” External verification is linked to improved outcomes and lower mortality/costs—this is about patients, not pageantry (Piontek et al., 2003; Mlaver et al., 2025).
References (APA 7th)
American College of Surgeons. (2025a). Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) Program: Process overview. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/verification-review-and-consultation-program/process/
American College of Surgeons. (2025b). Virtual site visits. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/verification-review-and-consultation-program/virtual-site-visits/
American College of Surgeons. (2025c). Site visit application. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/verification-review-and-consultation-program/site-visit-application/
American College of Surgeons. (2025). Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient (2022 Standards). https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/verification-review-and-consultation-program/standards/2022-resources-repository/
Cardell, C. F., Peters, X. D., Hu, Q. L., Robinson‑Gerace, A., Mistretta, S., Wescott, A. B., Maggard‑Gibbons, M., Hoyt, D. B., & Ko, C. Y. (2024). Evidence review for the American College of Surgeons Quality Verification Part III: Standardization, protocols, and achieving better outcomes for patient care. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. https://doi.org/10.1097/XCS.0000000000001126
Fischer, C. P., Hu, Q. L., Wescott, A. B., Maggard‑Gibbons, M., Hoyt, D. B., & Ko, C. Y. (2021). Evidence review for the American College of Surgeons Quality Verification Part II: Processes for reliable quality improvement. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 231(5), 557–569.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2021.03.028
McMahon, M. F. (2020). Prepping for an ACS virtual site visit . Pediatric Trauma Society.. https://pediatrictraumasociety.org/meeting/meet/multimedia/files/Maria_PTS-Meeting-Prepping-for-an-ACS-visit.pdf
Mlaver, E., Atkins, E. V., Medeiros, R. S., Sharma, J., Solomon, G., Galloway, L., Todd, S. R., Dunne, J. R., & Ashley, D. W. (2025). Impact of American College of Surgeons trauma verification on statewide collaborative outcomes. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1097/ta.0000000000004505
Piontek, F. A., Coscia, R., Marselle, C. S., Korn, R. L., & Zarling, E. J. (2003). Impact of American College of Surgeons verification on trauma outcomes. The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, 54(6), 1041–1047. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.TA.0000061107.55798.31
The Trauma Pro. (2023). Virtual site visit best practices: The video walkthrough. https://thetraumapro.com/virtual-site-visit-best-practices-the-video-walkthrough/
