CMS updates guidelines for ambulatory surgical centers

CMS has updated Appendix L of its State Operations Manual (SOM) with guidance on new or revised Conditions for Coverage (CfC) for ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) that have been formalized in various final rules from the last few years.

CMS has revised the frequency of reporting certain COVID-19 data elements for psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals according to a newly updated Quality, Safety & Oversight (QSO) memo.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, recently released an advisory to address a growing threat of health worker burnout. The advisory provides recommendations for how to address this issue, with steps that stakeholders can take to make changes in the systems, structures, and cultures that shape healthcare.

Once again, the reality of a potential active shooter in the healthcare environment takes center stage and we are once again faced with the question of how to keep folks safe during such a horrific event.

May served as Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s also a good reminder to healthcare security professionals that security is paramount when it comes to behavioral and mental health patients throughout a healthcare facility.

Some safety professionals are lucky enough to be able to constantly focus on their safety program. But in many organizations, managing safety is not a full-time job. Often, safety professionals must oversee the safety program while managing other day-to-day operations and programs. Either way, the safety role usually includes managing safety policies and procedures, performing audits, providing education and training, and consistently working to improve the overall culture.

It’s the 21stcentury, and the importance of communication cannot be understated. Crafting an effective message is key for so many patient safety and accreditation compliance challenges, whether it’s getting staff to follow hand-washing policies, convincing communities to get screened for cancer, or reminding visitors to wear a mask.

Noting a rise in COVID-19 cases in four out of five states in late April and early May, The Joint Commission (TJC) sent out a reminder to stay masked during survey.

If you have an incident of workplace violence (WPV), expect someone from the Office of Quality and Patient Safety (OQPS) at The Joint Commission (TJC) to show up on your doorstep soon afterward, especially if that incident was in the media.