The Next Chapter the project in the fall of 1999. However, Hurricane Floyd struck the state and severely damaged the eastern part of the State. All State funds went into the recovery and restoration of damaged areas. Thus, the project had to be postponed indefinitely. The plan was assigned years later to the UNC, Chapel Hill Public Health Education Department. In March, ACHC submitted an application to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) for Medicare Home Health Deeming Authority. ACHC was denied. Appeals were sent by Senator Helms, Senator Faircloth, and Congressman Melvin Watt. HCFA responded indicating that, while ACHC met the criteria as an accrediting body, it was not considered a national company. Another new project was initiated at the recommendation of Rod Okamoto, RPH, and Thomas Diamantidis, Pharm.D, the owners of Nutrishare, a specialty company for Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) located in Elk Grove, CA. Their proposal was to develop an advanced accreditation for specialty organizations that focused on a particular disease or therapy. A developmental grant was provided to craft the program. The program was called “Centers of Excellence.” However, the market did not respond, and the Board decided to drop the program. Nevertheless, it was a significant stepping stone leading to other business developments.
The Year 1999: In January, the increased number of accredited companies reported to the Board had grown to ninety-five in twenty states. These figures were a compelling encouragement to the staff and Board, despite the company’s financial struggles and restrictive payer acceptance due to JCAHO business practices. The Board chair, Cathy Chapman, arranged for the Board to have a special luncheon in Burlington, NC, to celebrate the small but productive advancements that the company was building. 35