All Entries Tagged With: "CMS"
Tread carefully on the new fire watch interpretation
As you may have read already, The Joint Commission has updated its approach to fire watches by stating that fire watches would generally only be necessary during unscheduled alarm or sprinkler system disruptions.
From a consultative standpoint, I advise you to [more]
I think the new couch looks best over by the wall… on second thought, maybe in front of that window…
Well, the never-ending drama of now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t in the world of strategic compliance marches on. Fortunately, my brothers and sisters in safety, the announcement of revised Joint Commission standards is virtually without impact for you (unless of course, you were otherwise occupied when these “changes” first graced our world — if you were, good on you, they’re just as meaningless as they were then).
I’ll default to my CMS logic in noting that none of the changes should have been a surprise to anyone being accredited for the purposes of bellying up to the Medicare/Medicaid bar. These were existing requirements, and, oddly enough, very much in keeping with an appropriately managed, comprehensive safety program, which I know you have because you tune into this blog on a regular basis (I certainly hope it helps, at any rate). [more]
Hold on. Joint Commission revises… revised standards
Remember those new elements of performance (EP) The Joint Commission announced back in January? Well, for many of them, you can just ‘forget about it.’
The Joint Commission has, after discussion with the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS), reduced the number of changes from its January 5, 2009, announced standards revisions. According to the official announcement, the changes [more]
Do you know CMS’ stance on weapon use in healthcare?
It’s Scott Wallask filling in a bit for Steve Mac this week — as Mac put it to me, “I”m up to my eyeballs in alligators this week.” Knowing Mac’s sense of humor, that comment could probably mean one of many things.
Moving on, one thing I’ve noticed is that security topics get a fair amount of hits on the blog, which prompted me to dig up this reference about CMS’s views on weapon use: [more]
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer abuse, courtesy of A&E
Hi everyone, it’s Scott Wallask posting today. I was catching up on recorded episodes of A&E’s series, Intervention, which my wife and I like, when we saw a scene that really hit home from a hospital safety perspective. [more]
Some thoughts about The Joint Commission’s new EPs
Regarding these new EPs The Joint Commission released this week, I’d say fortunately, at least on the EC side of things, this is all stuff that is already (or should already be) in place by any organization that can be surveyed directly under the Conditions of Participation (COPs).
For instance, the expansion of consideration of radiation as a hazardous materials under EC.02.02.01 is a direct reflection of section 482.53(c) under the physical environment section of the COPs.
Joint Commission suddenly releases more new EPs for 2009
Hi everyone, it’s Scott Wallask.
In an about-turn from what it said throughout 2008, The Joint Commission has released a slew of new elements of performance (EPs) that were not previously in the accreditor’s 2009 standards. And how’s this: The EPs went into effect January 1, but were just released January 5. Surveyors won’t score the new EPs until July 1, 2009, though, and it’s possible further changes are coming.
And to be fair, the new requirements seem minor or things many of you are already doing.
