Make sure your staff knows and implements your policy on continuous observation of suicidal patients, check and recheck that air pressures are appropriate to the room, update infection control procedures to the latest recommendations, and be prepared for surprise surveys.
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Tag Archives: ligature
Joint Commission surveyor focus remains on EC, LS, ligature risks
Some of the top takeaways for environment of care and other healthcare and quality professionals attending The Joint Commission’s (TJC) annual Hospital Executive Briefings held September 14 in New York City.
Q&A: Joint Commission talks ligature risk
In a live question-and-answer session, Kathryn Petrovic, MSN, RN-BC, The Joint Commission’s (TJC) field director of surveyor management and development, and Emily Wells, CSW, MSW, TJC’s project director of surveyor management and development, offered answers to some of those questions.
HFAP ligature standard remains same after newest CMS memo
HFAP, one of the oldest accrediting organizations for U.S. hospitals, recently updated 13 of its standards to align with the expectations on ligature risk and other hazards that CMS outlined in a memo in December 2017. The standards have been approved by CMS, but will not be revised again in light of an earlier CMS memo issued in July.
CMS surveyors agree to use Joint Commission recommendations on ligature risk as guide
In a new memo to its state survey agencies, CMS said it would use Joint Commission ligature recommendations—drawn from a task force that was convened by the commission and included several CMS suicide prevention experts—as the federal agency goes forward with clarifying and updating Interpretive Guidelines for its surveyors.
HFAP revises ligature risks standards
To keep themselves as closely aligned with CMS as possible, HFAP has updated their Acute Care Manual with new prepublication requirements on removing ligature (hanging) risks in rooms meant for suicidal patients. Several standards have been affected.
Young and old: Ex-surveyor worries about where CMS applies ligature risk definition
One of the major concerns former Joint Commission surveyor Ernest Allen has with CMS’ new ligature standards is that they don’t distinguish between geriatric and adult behavioral health units.
CMS defines ligature risk in new memo
When it comes to preventing patient suicides, CMS has not been idle. In December 2017, the agency expanded its definitions of ligature (hanging) risks and its expectations on suicide prevention.