Urgent New Survey Standards From The Joint Commission Address Aisle Widths and CAH Suites

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on April 23, 2021 Posted in Coronavirus, General

This week The Joint Commission (“TJC”) announced new requirements that are effective immediately and require suites to have aisles with at least “36 inches of clearance from side to side to facilitate egress.” The standard aligns with the National Fire Protection Association’s (FPA) Life Safety Code and is applicable to hospitals accredited by TJC and … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: CMS Announces Resumption of Survey Activities

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on August 19, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, Enforcement, General, Regulatory

On August 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced it was resuming inspections of Medicare and Medicaid certified providers and suppliers, which had been suspended in late March in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. More specifically, CMS will be resuming onsite revisit surveys for surveys with end dates on, … Continue reading

COVID-19 Update: The Joint Commission to Resume Hospital Surveys

By Yvonne Puig (US), Daphne Calderon (US) and Jeff Wurzburg (US) on June 10, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General, Regulatory

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