Courtemanche & Associates | (704)-573-4535 | Email: info@courtemanche-assocs.com
October 2026 Newsletter
In the News This Month
Greetings Everyone,
October 18–24 marks both Healthcare Quality Week and National Pharmacy Week, giving us an opportunity to recognize the quality and patient safety professionals, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians who help keep patients safe every day. At C&A, we appreciate your dedication to improving care and strengthening the systems that support it. This month’s articles connect directly to those efforts, exploring upcoming changes in sentinel event classification and practical steps for strengthening medication security.
In “Joint Commission to Align Sentinel Event List with the National Quality Forum Serious Reportable Event Categories,” C&A Senior Consultant Christopher Pratt explains the planned alignment of The Joint Commission’s Sentinel Event List with the National Quality Forum’s Serious Reportable Events framework. He outlines what is changing and how organizations can prepare for the 2027 transition by reviewing event definitions, reporting processes, policies, and staff education.
In “Medication Security: Strengthening Compliance with CMS Requirements,” Christopher examines common vulnerabilities involving medication storage, unattended clinical areas, mobile carts, patient self-administration, and medication waste. He offers practical guidance on defining authorized personnel, evaluating security as operating conditions change, and establishing ongoing monitoring to protect against unauthorized access, tampering, and diversion.
Thank you for reading our October newsletter. We hope these articles provide useful guidance for your organization’s patient safety and regulatory readiness efforts. To suggest a future topic or discuss how C&A can support your team, please contact us at info@courtemanche-assocs.com. We welcome the opportunity to help.
- By Christopher Pratt, MS, BSN, HACP-CMS, Senior Consultant & Accredited Provider Program Director
The Joint Commission (TJC) is aligning its Sentinel Event (SE) List with the National Quality Forum’s (NQF) updated Serious Reportable
The Author
Chris Pratt is a Senior Consultant with Courtemanche and Associates with more than 33 years in clinical and leadership experience working in varying healthcare positions from the bedside to the Boardroom. In this role, he is responsible for assessing healthcare organizations’ readiness for licensing, accreditation, and regulatory compliance. He is trained in the survey process, auditing approach and survey outcome determination utilized by The Joint Commission, DNV, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and other regulatory agencies and accrediting organizations. He assists organizations with post-survey activities, education, patient safety strategies, and quality improvement initiatives and has experience in various health care settings including acute care, behavioral health, and ambulatory care settings
- By Christopher Pratt, MS, BSN, HACP-CMS, Senior Consultant & Accredited Provider Program Director
Medication security is not simply an operational concern—it is a regulatory compliance requirement. Learn how to establish and maintain effective
The Author
Chris Pratt is a Senior Consultant with Courtemanche and Associates with more than 33 years in clinical and leadership experience working in varying healthcare positions from the bedside to the Boardroom. In this role, he is responsible for assessing healthcare organizations’ readiness for licensing, accreditation, and regulatory compliance. He is trained in the survey process, auditing approach and survey outcome determination utilized by The Joint Commission, DNV, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and other regulatory agencies and accrediting organizations. He assists organizations with post-survey activities, education, patient safety strategies, and quality improvement initiatives and has experience in various health care settings including acute care, behavioral health, and ambulatory care settings
September Spotlight Observations
C&A is a division of SAYAS Alliance. Through our sister company Medical Resources Network, we also offer a range of legal nurse consulting services, including medical record review and analysis, medical chronologies, peer review, retention of medical experts, and adverse event and call center management. Learn more.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is published in good faith for general information purposes only. This website does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information.
The Joint Commission® is a registered trademark of Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Courtemanche & Associates has no affiliation with this entity.