Joint Commission issues strategies to prevent unintended retained foreign objects

Editor's Note

The Joint Commission on January 26 published Quick Safety #20, “Strategies to prevent URFOs.” This Quick Safety builds on Sentinel Event Alert, Issue 51, released October 2013, which addressed the prevention of unintended retained foreign objects (URFOs).

URFOs were the most frequent sentinel event reported to the Joint Commission in 2015 (115 reported) and 2014 (112). In 2013, URFOs were the third most frequent sentinel event, after being the most frequent in 2012 and 2011.

It is evident that accredited organizations continue to struggle with URFOs, the Joint Commission noted.

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