Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) are being reminded of the importance of having complete documentation in patients’ medical records.
With the advent of side-by-side validation surveys, healthcare accreditation leaders have quickly realized that they need to be thoroughly prepared for all types of surveys every day, now more than ever.
Happy one-year anniversary of The Joint Commission’s move to update its time frame for evaluating licensed practitioners’ ability to provide care, treatment, and services from two years to three years. Although healthcare facilities do not have to make the change, many are. And it’s been a year...
Continuous readiness, including a mock survey approach that fully integrates the tracer methodology, is a good way to take a snapshot of the organization’s compliance, remind staff of the survey process so that they maintain a comfort level should an unannounced survey occur, and work on...
In this Q&A session, we delve into the intricate world of healthcare accreditation with Kurt Patton, MS, RPh, founder and president emeritus of Patton Healthcare Consulting. With a rich history at The Joint Commission (TJC), including a tenure as executive director of...
Review Emergency Medical Treatment & Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requirements with your emergency departments, especially as the season for flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has the potential to flood hospital beds again.
Expect CMS to maintain its concentration on complaint surveys as the agency continues to work on its post-COVID-19 backlog through the start of the new year. Also look for OSHA to continue its focus on workplace violence protections in healthcare while CMS and its umbrella agency, the Department...
Hospitals no longer must worry about new—or in some cases even old—ligature risk extension requests (LRER) for deficiencies that cannot be corrected within 60 days. However, hospitals still need to perform risk assessments and have a way to reduce the potential for patients to harm themselves,...
Reducing physical risks for self-harm remains a key part of meeting CMS requirements to provide patient care in a safe setting, but don’t focus everything on ligature risk.
The pivotal role of accreditation leaders is undeniable in ensuring patient outcomes and institutional integrity. Tasked with navigating the maze of regulations and standards, these leaders are fundamental in ensuring healthcare institutions comply with and surpass benchmarks in quality care.
