As of July 1, clinics in rural and underserved communities can now apply for The Joint Commission’s (TJC) new Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Accreditation Program. IAQ spoke with Kurt Patton, MS, RPH, founder of Patton Healthcare Consulting and a former director of accreditation services for TJC,...
The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) has launched its new Healthcare Staffing Services Certification, which aims to validate that staffing agencies supplying immediate, short-term placements meet recognized standards for quality in providing clinical professionals to healthcare...
The Joint Commission recently released a clarification on how it evaluates multiple-tenant occupancies—cases where an accredited healthcare organization rents or shares a building with a nonaccredited business and renters.
Effective July 1, 2024, The Joint Commission (TJC) approved new and revised requirements for the Infection Prevention and Control (IC) chapter for hospitals and critical access hospitals. The chapter underwent a full rewrite, focusing on the structures that support quality and safety. It will...
The need for greater cybersecurity standards and guidance was demonstrated in February, when a single cyberattack against the Change Healthcare clearinghouse disrupted patient care and CMS provider payments nationwide. The American Hospital Association reported in March that 74% of hospitals...
Peer review, as it applies in today’s healthcare landscape, involves the evaluation of an individual practitioner’s professional performance for all relevant competency categories. It draws from multiple sources of data and identifies opportunities to improve care. Given these important aims,...
Hospitals must ensure patients are not subject to sensitive examinations while under anesthesia without providers and trainees first obtaining and documenting the patient’s informed consent, according to revised interpretive guidance released by CMS in April.
Stacey McCoy, PharmD, MS, BCPS, has a wealth of experience in the field of pharmacy, having worked in various healthcare capacities for more than two decades. Currently, she serves as a clinical program manager at Wolters Kluwer Health, where she focuses on optimizing technology and the delivery...
A 2024 proposal from CMS could cost accreditation organizations (AO) millions and completely change the accreditation survey process. If Congress passes the proposal, AOs would have to survey all off-site locations, eliminate daily huddles, and limit their charges for consulting and education...
On February 15, 2024, CMS issued a proposed rule that included multiple new requirements for all accreditation organizations (AO), specifically mentioning The Joint Commission (TJC) as an example. If passed, the rule would have a significant financial impact on AOs. CMS estimated TJC would lose...
