On May 7th, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) released their Interpretive Guidelines for the Interoperability and Patient Access Rule. This rule is designed to provide easier access and establish clearer expectations on the sharing of health information to ensure quality and safe transitions in care. These guidelines were issued and implemented on …
In September of 2019, CMS issued the Burden Reduction Final Rule that reset some of the requirements and expectations related to Performance Improvement within Critical Access Hospitals. Several of the required changes have taken effect within The Joint Commission Critical Access Hospital Accreditation Program but several additional changes that reside within the Leadership Chapter took …
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In 2008, The Joint Commission (TJC) implemented a new standard, MS.08.01.03, requiring detailed evaluation of practitioners’ professional performance as part of the process of granting and maintaining practice privileges in a healthcare organization. Although the standard took effect in 2008, many organizations continue to struggle to establish meaningful indicators and ensure these processes are consistently …
The Joint Commission published in their April issue of EC News; a short article of significance that may go unnoticed. The article announces that effective immediately, their EC-LS surveyors will be surveying the aisle widths within your suites that exist within your health care occupancy spaces. The minimum width for these aisles is 36 inches …
During the early days of the pandemic, finding a source of hand sanitizer was a challenge, particularly for the community. Many new products came onto the market as a result of the increased demand. Earlier this year, the independent lab, Valisure, took on the work of determining if these hand sanitizers were safe. Of the …
Since COVID-19, the shortage of personal protective equipment has become an issue for many organizations throughout the country. Disposable gloves are being disinfected between tasks using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It might sound like an acceptable practice under the circumstances, but did you ever think about what the alcohol does to the gloves that you are …
During mock surveys I always ask staff what the contact or wet time is for a particular disinfecting wipe. Unless they have changed products recently or are frequently getting different brands due to availability (a result of COVID-19) staff are able to verbalize the correct contact or wet time. The question is, do they know …
How often do we go to the linen closet and say to ourselves, “is this linen safe to put on my patient’s bed?” As a nurse for over 40 years, I do not think that I have ever asked myself that question. I was happy that the linen was there and that I could use …
As of March 15, 2021, The Joint Commission will be reverting back to pre-pandemic survey procedures in light of reduced cases of COVID-19 across the U.S. according to a message that was sent by Mark Pelletier, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nurse Executive of The Joint Commission today. This return to pre-pandemic survey procedures means …
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On December 21, 2020, The Joint Commission published a new, updated version of their proposed Resuscitation Standards. Redesign of these standards began in early 2020 with the first opportunity to submit comments being concluded mid-year. While some of the revisions appear to be simple word-smithing opportunities, there are several changes, if adopted as written, that …
New Requirements on the Horizon: Resuscitative Services Read More »
