Joint Commission updates EM standards to match CMS

In response to CMS’ final emergency preparedness rule issued earlier this month, The Joint Commission announced revisions to its Emergency Management (EM) standards. CMS is expected to approve the updated standards before they go into effect November 15.

Accredited organizations can access the proposed drafts on their Joint Commission Connect™ extranet site, with more information on the way.

The Joint Commission’s standards come with new elements of performance on the following topics:

• Continuity of operations and succession plans
• Documentation of collaboration with local, tribal, regional, state, and federal emergency management officials
• Contact information on volunteers and tribal groups
• Annual training of all new or existing staff, contractors, and volunteers
• Integrated healthcare systems
• Transplant hospitals

Several of the new requirements merely provide more specifics on what The Joint Commission already expects. This includes documentation for existing practices and annual training for staff.

CMS first announced the emergency preparedness Conditions of Participation in September 2016, compelling hospitals to communicate and coordinate their emergency plans with other hospitals and government agencies.

It also requires regular emergency preparedness training with staff and disaster contingency planning. CMS published the final version of the new Appendix Z of Medicare’s State Operations Manual online, and state surveyors will use newly created E-tags to score deficiencies and expectations set in it.
  

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