New AAMI compendium to help meet Joint Commission’s NPSG on clinical alarms

Editor's Note

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Foundation has released a compendium to help healthcare organization meet the Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on clinical alarms.

The compendium provides specific tips and outlines practices in use by leading institutions.

Beginning January 1, 2016, the Joint Commission will implement Phase 2 of the NPSG. Hospitals are expected to establish and implement policies and procedures for managing clinical alarms and to educate staff about alarm systems.

The AAMI Foundation has synthesized the knowledge, experience, and advice of leading practitioners into a toolkit designed to help healthcare organizations meet The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goal on clinical alarms. Starting Jan.1, The Joint Commission will expect hospitals to establish and implement policies and procedures for managing clinical alarms, as this is when surveyors will start documenting noncompliance to the second phase of the goal.