The Joint Commission (TJC) has released its annual list of the most challenging standards for hospitals and other healthcare facilities. In 2023, many hospitals were cited for noncompliance over suicide risk management, high-level disinfection of equipment, medication verification, and...
CMS now allows texting of patient orders, but roll out its implementation carefully, say compliance experts. Policies will need to be updated with specifics on when and how orders can be texted and what kinds of information may or may not be included in a text. Then physicians, nurses, and...
What is the best way to prepare for patients each and every day? The best way is to create a safe, effective, and efficient system for providing patient care. It is to become knowledgeable and identify issues in an effort to minimize risks and maximize best outcomes. It is to be prepared.
Hospital accreditation leaders must exhibit a blend of resourcefulness, strategic project management, interpersonal acumen, and strong commitment to detail. This month, we’ve compiled a collection of expert tips based on the wisdom of Jennifer Cowel, president of Patton...
Hospitals, healthcare organizations, health insurers, and medical societies in Massachusetts are coming together to take a significant step toward encouraging physicians to seek treatment for mental health conditions and/or drug misuse.
Review and update hospital policies and procedures now that The Joint Commission (TJC) has overhauled and even pared down its Infection Prevention and Control (IC) chapter—with one notable new requirement.
When assessing the needs of each patient, don’t forget to ask about religious requirements, including patients who are seeking care virtually or engaging in education through hospital-provided tablets or other devices.
CMS officials are calling for more federal oversight of accrediting organizations (AO) due to unhappiness with patient safety mistakes they learn about from the news media and with problems identified by CMS surveyors but seemingly missed by AOs.
CMS’ State Operations Manual, Appendix A, offers interpretive guidelines for its own state surveyors and generally has been held as the guide for all the accrediting bodies. It outlines the tasks that accompany the survey process for hospitals, from off-site survey preparation to post-...
Effective immediately, CMS says texting of patient information and of patient orders is permissible—with some caveats. In a memo to CMS state survey agency directors on February 8, CMS noted that due to technological advances in encryption and more secure interfaces between information...