The Joint Commission issued a new advisory to encourage health care providers to take tangible steps to better understand and meet the needs of the diverse populations of which they serve. The Joint Commission recognized that COVID-19 has “shed a light on the many gaps in health care that diverse populations have experienced for decades.” … Continue reading
Recognizing its unique position to understand and shed light on the collective experience of America’s health care organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, on February 2, 2021, the Joint Commission published the first in its series of special edition Sentinel Event Alerts. The special edition publication addresses COVID-19-specific concerns and comments that the Joint Commission’s Office … Continue reading
In a special LabFocus The Joint Commission revealed they have resumed some laboratory survey activities. TJC stated that “[a]ccount executives are contacting organizations due for a survey to assess the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on their operations and their current state.” To determine which organizations will be surveyed, TJC is looking at “a … Continue reading
The Joint Commission (TJC) is resuming regular surveys and reviews after suspending them at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety will be “the first and foremost priority” as surveys and reviews are resumed and the survey’s will “assess the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on their operations and their current state.” The surveys … Continue reading
On April 7, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (“FEMA”) released a final rule pursuant to the Defense Production Act (“DPA”) and Executive Orders issued by President Trump prohibiting the export of the scarce or threatened materials identified by President Trump on April 3, 2020. HL Pulse summary is available here. Specifically, the Executive Order … Continue reading
On May 22, 2018, the Joint Commission released an advisory addressing the importance of continuity of operations planning (COOP). When an emergency strikes, an ill-prepared health care organization can put patients at risk. The goal of an COOP is “to protect the organization’s physical plant, information technology systems, business and financial operations, and other infrastructure … Continue reading
On March 1, 2017, the Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert warning of the link between inadequate safety cultures within health care organizations and a rise in the occurrence of adverse events, and further urging health care organization leadership to adopt a culture of safety through formal initiatives and a top-down model behavioral approach. … Continue reading