Joint Commission postpones implementation of revised diagnostic imaging standards

The Joint Commission has postponed the implementation of revised diagnostic imaging requirements for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory care organizations that provide diagnostic imaging services, according to Joint Commission Online. Originally, the change were intended to be effective on July 1, 2014, with additional changes phased in by 2015. The goal now is to implement revised standards by July 2015, with more comprehensive requirements released. When The Joint Commission publishes the 2015 requirements, the majority of the 2014 proposed requirements are expected to be implemented as currently written. A prepublication version of the final requirements will be posted on The Joint Commission’s website six months prior to implementation date.

Published in January, the requirements address the risks associated with diagnostic imaging. But the accreditor received feedback from stakeholders asking for more research on several of the new standards. The Joint Commission is collecting information about radiation safety including documentation of the radiation dose, annual equipment performance evaluations by a medical physicist or magnetic resonance scientist, minimum qualifications for radiologic technologists who perform computerized tomography (CT) exams, and requirements that align with California’s law for organizations who perform CT scans.

To read the Joint Commission Online article, visit here.