The Joint Commission and HFAP Start Surveying to The 2012 Life Safety Code®
As of November 1, CMS, The Joint Commission, and HFAP will be surveying hospitals to the 2012 Life Safety Code® (LSC). The LSC was adopted by CMS in June, with some of the big changes required under the final rule including: Facilities located in buildings taller than 75 feet are required to install automatic sprinkler … Continued
GAO Asks HHS for Universally Aligned Quality Measure
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sent a report on October 13 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging for better alignment of healthcare quality measures.
CMS Launches New Physician Engagement Initiative
On October 13, CMS announced a push to improve physician engagement and their experience within the Medicare system. To achieve this goal, the agency is trying to reduce the reduce administrative burdens that physicians have to handle with the new Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Joint Commission Launches Healthcare Violence Resource Center
The Joint Commission this month launched a digital resource center aimed at reducing workplace violence in healthcare settings.
CMS Gives $347M to Improve Patient Safety
In the last week of September, CMS gave $347 million to 16 different hospital associations, Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO), and health system organizations to continue efforts in reducing Medicare readmission and hospital-acquired conditions.
Lessons Learned In the Fallout of Virginia Mason’s Accreditation Struggles
A preliminary denial offers a stark reminder that even top-rated hospitals are not immune to survey deficiencies.
Using a Screening Program to Improve Suicide Prevention
Suicides were the third most common sentinel event of 2015, with 95 reported cases in 2015’s Sentinel Event Statistics. The total number of patient suicides reported to The Joint Commission is now up to 1,184 since the start of the decade.
Hospital Readmissions are Not the Enemy
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services has all but declared war on readmissions. But one researcher suggests that the relationship between readmission rates and quality is flawed.
CMS Finalizes New Emergency Preparedness Rule
CMS announced last week that it had finalized new emergency response requirements for healthcare providers participating in the Medicare or Medicaid system. The new rule comes as a response to a string of disasters, natural and mad-made, including the recent flooding in Louisiana.
New Resources Aim to Simplify Stewardship Implementation
A finalized Joint Commission standard, along with proposed CMS regulations, place more emphasis on program leadership and providing resources for measurement and action.