In the February 2014 issue of The Joint Commissions TJC’s Perspectives’ Newsletter, TJC addressed an issue regarding the requirement for Ground Fault Circuit Interruption (GFCI) protection for ice machines, specific to medical/surgical units. According to this article ice machines on medical/surgical units which are not equipped with GFCI protection are in violation of the standards…
DetailsFor more than four decades the Joint Commission has been looking at electrical panels during their accreditation surveys. Very early on, emphasis was simply placed on whether, or not access to electrical panels was clear and unobstructed. Surveyors typically expressed an expectation that there be at least 3 feet of clearance around an electrical panel…
DetailsThe Joint Commission (TJC), recently published its answer to a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) that asked, “Are Tamper Resistant Receptacles (TRR’s) required in a Behavior Health In-Patient Setting?” The answer came back surprisingly more complex than might have been expected. The essence of the answer was that not only were tamper resistant receptacles required…
DetailsKitchens in hospitals have always been known to be dangerous places to work, with a proliferation and endless variety of hazards present. Cuts, slips and falls, burns, fire, moving equipment, electrical exposure, and many other types of risks await the person who works in a healthcare kitchen. Recently The Joint Commission published an article…
DetailsOne common aspect of every Joint Commission survey is the propensity for the surveyors to ask questions of staff members related to The Physical Environment. Generally speaking, surveyors will ask general questions of hospital leaders during interviews, and more specific questions of managers and unit/department staff. To best prepare staff for these questions and help…
DetailsVirtually every standard or element of performance The Joint Commission (TJC) publishes is capable of being evaluated and scored from a compliance standpoint. This creates opportunities for improvement through corrective actions or program changes. Most of the activities we do in the Physical Environment are designed for the purpose of identifying problems. Whether we are…
DetailsIf there is a hot button (other than Corona Virus) in healthcare regulatory compliance these days, it would have to be the issue of increased patient suicide. Roughly half of the facilities being surveyed at this time will receive one or more findings related to suicide and specifically ligature issues. Oftentimes this finding in and…
DetailsRecently, (within the past few years) The Joint Commission has begun enforcing an NFPA 80 2010 edition, code requirement which mandates that fire doors have an annual inspection. This brought quite a bit of initial confusion to the healthcare industry, which created quite a bit of opportunity for vendors, consultants and others to benefit handsomely. …
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