2016 has been a year of big changes; some unexpected, some you saw coming miles away. To help you find what you need, here’s our annual index of all this year’s BOAQ articles. We hope you find this helpful in the upcoming year and we look forward to keeping you up to date on all things...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 28, Issue 1
Editor’s note: CMS, Joint Commission, hospital organizations, and private vendors each have their own way of calculating a hospital’s ranking and to improve patient care. While hospitals are already expected to conduct certain surveys by various agencies, how often should they conduct their...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 28, Issue 1
In June, The Joint Commission made several changes to its catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG). All the changes go into effect on January 1, 2017 and are meant to improve staff training, educate patients, and update policies with evidence-based...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 28, Issue 1
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced ambitious new targets for reducing healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) by 2020. The goals apply to acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory surgical centers. If achieved, these goals could save billions...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 28, Issue 1
In its 2016 Health Index, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) found that mental disorders and substance abuse are the chief causes of shortened longevity and health in the U.S. The top five conditions cause about 30% of commercially insured Americans' overall reduction in optimal health, and are as...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 27, Issue 12
The problem of workplace violence (WPV) affects all industries, and it’s especially a concern for healthcare. But there are resources available for facilities who need help dealing with this serious issue.
In October, The Joint Commission launched a digital resource center aimed at...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 27, Issue 12
Editor’s note: The topic of maintaining proper Life Safety (LS), Environment of Care (EC), and Emergency Management (EM) documentation was brought up at the 2016 Hospital Executive Briefing in New York City. In the following edited Q&A, Steve MacArthur, a safety...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 27, Issue 12
On one hand, physicians are experts that people seek out because of their knowledge of human health. On the other, physicians are still their patients’ employees. While physicians can strongly encourage a course of action, they can’t force a patient to do it—nor can they compel patients to...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 27, Issue 12
The pressure is on for hospitals to organize their binders. Starting January 1, 2017, The Joint Commission is getting rid of its clarification process. That means facilities will be expected to have their documentation readily available during survey if they want to avoid a finding. Even if the...
Briefings on Accreditation & Quality - Volume 27, Issue 11
Currently healthcare workers are not required by law to get a flu shot. But a number of states require hospitals to report their flu vaccination rates and a federal reporting requirement for flu shot rates at acute care hospitals went into effect January 1, 2013.
