Editor's Note The Joint Commission on May 30 posted addendums to its Sentinel Event Alert, Issue 47: Radiation risks of diagnostic imaging. Risks associated with ionizing radiation in diagnostic imaging included cancer, burns, and other injuries. The addendums update broken links, resources, and references. Sentinel Event Alert, Issue 47: Radiation…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on May 24 issued a new Quick Safety update on improperly sterilized or high-level disinfected (HLD) equipment, which continues to be a frequently scored noncompliant standard (IC 02.02.01). The update includes expanded safety actions to help leaders oversee sterilization and HLD processes and ensure that…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on May 3 that accreditation programs for ambulatory care (85 fewer), behavioral healthcare (63 fewer), critical access hospitals (143 fewer), home care (65 fewer), laboratories (50 fewer), nursing care centers (59 fewer), and office-based surgery practices (50 fewer) will see fewer elements of performance…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on May 3 announced the creation of a new SAFER [Survey Analysis for Evaluating Risk] Matrix web portal for information and resources on the scoring methodology that went into effect on January 1. Among the portal features: A webinar and slide deck that discusses the…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced April 26 that Select Medical, based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the first recipient of its Physician Leader Forum Challenge Award. The award recognizes Select Medical’s leading practice for wound care and prevention of pressure ulcers in patients throughout the system. An improvement project lowered…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced April 19 that it is seeking hospital success stories about electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) capture and submission to share with other accredited hospitals via the new 2017 Pioneers in Quality: Proven Practices Collection. Hospitals whose submissions are selected also will be recognized as…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on April 12 that Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan, and Home IV Care, Inc, Madison Heights, Michigan, are the first organizations to receive its new Medication Compounding Certification. The certification is based on standards from the US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) to help…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on April 13 unveiled its Top 10 Challenging Standards for Ambulatory Health Care and Office-Based Surgery accredited organizations in 2016. Leading the top 10 are: IC.02.02.01: The organization reduces the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices, and supplies. HR.02.01.03: The organization grants initial,…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 22 announced the release of a free resource for patient identification using health information technology (IT) from the Partnership for Health IT Patient Safety. The toolkit details eight safe practice recommendations in two areas: Attributes−addresses information-gathering aspects of patient identification, such as fields…

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Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced on March 22 that MedStar-Georgetown University Hospital in Washington DC received the first Patient Blood Management Certification by the Joint Commission and AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks). The certification provides a third party evaluation of patient blood management programs…

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