The purpose of a briefing is to create a shared mental model among all team members—whether there are two individuals on the team or 10. Simply stated, a mental model is a frame of reference used to interpret the world. In a given situation, we apply that frame of reference to make sense of...
Assessing compliance with the LSC has always been a tricky proposition, since a deficiency that is obvious to one individual might not be so obvious to another, based on surveyors’ different levels of knowledge.
I don’t know about you folks, but it seems like lately I’ve been hearing more about the expansion of the Hospital at Home concept, as the healthcare industry faces the challenges of...
If you’ve been in healthcare safety for any length of time, you’ve been lectured at before. OSHA wants you to keep your clinic safe. You’ve been told several times by this publication to watch out for slips, trips, and falls, reduce your needlestick risks, and make sure you are compliant with...
This is Part 2 of our interview with Kurt Patton, MS, RPH, founder of Patton Healthcare Consulting and a former director of accreditation services for The Joint Commission (TJC). He is joined by Jennifer Cowel, RN, MHSA, president of Patton Healthcare Consulting...
Inside the laboratory there are many safety controls for hazardous materials—but what controls do you have when transporting those materials outside the lab? The substances and materials lab workers use to do their jobs don’t appear in the building by magic. Nor are they beamed to their final...
Healthcare facilities aim to provide high-quality care to patients in an environment that is safe for workers. One of the ways facilities can ensure their staff’s safety is through a comprehensive sharps injury prevention program.
In reviewing the April 2024 edition of Joint Commission Perspectives, specifically the Consistent Interpretations column, I noticed that almost a third of the hospitals surveyed in 2023 were cited for issues relating to the weekly inspection of Emergency Power Supply System (EPSS)...
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...
