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Will TJC get tougher in response to CMS pressure?
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
 

News Headlines

Public Health Emergency is Extended: Blanket Waivers Continue for Now

Now that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar has again renewed the official declaration of a public health emergency (PHE) related to the 2019 novel coronavirus, hospitals and other providers can continue to take advantage of CMS blanket 1135 waivers.

CMS, CDC Create Provider Payment for COVID-19 Counseling

Physicians and other healthcare providers will now be paid to counsel patients about the importance of self-isolation after testing for COVID-19, even before test results are known, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday.

Understanding the new Joint Commission requirements for maternal patient safety

The steadily climbing maternal mortality rate in the U.S. has (appropriately) attracted a great deal of media attention over the last few years.

Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the rate has more than doubled since 1987, reaching an alarming high of 17.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. That is well above the Healthy People 2020 goal of 11.4.

Worse, the CDC estimates that 60% of maternal deaths reviewed in a study were preventable. Stopping those would result in easily meeting and surpassing the Healthy People 2020 goal.

Inform, reassure, and reduce anxiety during COVID-19

Here are areas where your facility can work to ease patients’ safety concerns during the pandemic. They come from Colleen McCrory, MBA, FACHE, a coach in Huron’s Studer Group advisory firm with 19 years of experience in healthcare leadership and coaching.

 

Newsletter Articles

Will TJC get tougher? CMS okays AO status but outlines con-cerns

Expect The Joint Commission (TJC) to get tougher on some areas of survey, particularly with the physical environment and off-campus facilities, and to change the level of detail in its daily briefing about what surveyors are finding.

In mid-July, CMS confirmed that TJC—one of the nation’s longest-running accrediting organizations (AO) and a longtime standard-setter in patient safety—has earned CMS approval as an AO for hospitals.

But only for two years.

Money woes and distance: Patient stressors during the COVID-19 era

As of this writing, the novel 2019 coronavirus has infected over 4.6 million Americans and killed over 155,000. Unemployment is at its highest level since the Great Depression, and experts predict mass evictions as financial aid measures run out.

People have been isolated for months from their loved ones or forced to shelter in place in unhealthy living situations. Scientists and governments around the world are sounding dire warnings about climate change even as countries brace for hurricane season. Massive social unrest and protests have forced the United States and other nations to confront ugly realities involving race, law enforcement, and corruption.

Many of these topics might not seem like they fall under the purview of healthcare. Nor is it always clear what can be done to help people dealing with things like unemployment or rent insecurity. But if providers are to keep providing quality care during the pandemic, say experts, they must have open and honest conversations with their patients about what is causing them stress and what providers can do to help.

 

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The CMS Compliance Crosswalk, 2020 Edition

A new edition of HCPro’s highly regarded accreditation crosswalk is here!

The CMS Compliance Crosswalk, 2020 Edition, shows you how to comply with each Condition of Participation (CoP) set forth by CMS and highlights which requirements from The Joint Commission and other accrediting organizations correspond to individual CoPs.

Using a table format, the book takes readers through each CoP, explains how accreditation standards differ from the CMS requirements, and offers tips and documentation suggestions for survey preparation. Along with the most up-to date standards info, this edition comes with new survey tips and expert analysis on updated CoP topics.

Learn more at: https://hcmarketplace.com/cms-compliance-crosswalk

 

What is the Accreditation & Quality Compliance Center

The Accreditation & Quality Compliance Center is your home for all things accreditation and patient safety. Brimming with content for free and premium subscribers alike, this site is your center for hospital excellence. 

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Visit us at accreditationqualitycenter.com

 

Contact the Editor

Brian Ward, Associate Editor

bward@hcpro.com