Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a new strategy to revise its accreditation and certification programs to better reflect the distinct needs of pediatric care. According to a July 29 announcement, the effort responds to requests from the children’s health community and aims to revise or remove standards that…

Read More

Editor’s Note: This page is a companion piece to the main article, Proper planning prevents OR construction, renovation cost creep. It brings together four focused updates on OR and ambulatory surgery center (ASC) construction and renovation: Regulatory shifts: The Joint Commission's updated safety and sustainability requirements for hospitals and ASCs, including new…

Read More

An estimated 22 million Americans were believed to have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 2019, according to data cited in a February 2019 article published by OR Manager. At that time, up to 80% of cases were undiagnosed, and 30% to 40% of the surgical patient population was believed to…

Read More

Editor's Note Sentinel events reported to The Joint Commission increased by 12% in 2024, with patient falls once again leading the list of serious adverse events followed by wrong surgeries. The Joint Commission released the data in an annual review July 9.     Wrong surgery events increased 13% from the…

Read More

Editor's Note The Joint Commission has launched a major redesign of its healthcare accreditation and certification programs with Accreditation 360: The New Standard. According to a June 30 announcement, the new framework introduces outcome-focused performance tools, eliminates hundreds of requirements, and promises to made standards publicly accessible. Reportedly supported by…

Read More

Editor's Note The Joint Commission and the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) are partnering to set national standards for responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use in healthcare, according to a June 11 announcement from the organizations. This effort will deliver AI implementation guidance, tools, and a certification program to over 80%…

Read More

Vaccine health has been dominating the news amid ongoing measles and whooping cough outbreaks and high influenza activity last season. It is also on the minds of The Joint Commission surveyors, as the organization has updated infection control standards that took effect in July 2024 for hospitals and critical access…

Read More

Editor's Note On this National Time Out Day, perioperative leaders are being called to reinvigorate the time-out process to combat complacency and reduce adverse events. Despite decades of safety initiatives, the adverse event rate in surgical care remains high—38% of perioperative cases, with nearly half tied directly to surgical procedures,…

Read More

Editor's Note Wrong-site surgeries are on the rise, and insufficient surgical time outs are a key contributor, according to new data highlighted by AORN on June 10 in honor of this year’s National Time Out Day on June 11. Based on The Joint Commission’s Sentinel Event Data 2023 Annual Review,…

Read More

Editor's Note The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF) on May 12 announced the recipients of the 2024 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The Awards recognize major achievements by individuals and organizations to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. This year’s recipients are: National Level Innovation…

Read More