How to Improve JCAHO Compliance

Just say the word JCAHO and hospital administrators panic. JCAHO-(pronounced 'jayco')is short for Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Hospitals are evaluated for JCAHO compliance on the quality of care and safety they provide to patients. All Hospitals want to pass JCAHO Compliance evaluations and receive accreditation. One important reason to pass and gain accreditation is so that hospitals will meet Medicaid/Medicare certification requirements and receive reimbursement. Here are steps to take on improving JCAHO compliance in some common documented problem areas:

Things You'll Need

• Copy of your hospital policy and procedures can be helpful.

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Instructions

• 1

  Check Medications:

  Check all patient medications to ensure they are current and dated. Expired medications are a big problem on JCAHO audits. Another thing to watch for is unlabeled syringes and vials being left laying around. Also, check all charting and physician orders for unapproved abbreviations, specifically with medications, as errors resulting from look-alike, sound-alike drugs can result in the death of patients.

• 2

  Secure Equipment:

  Crash carts contain emergency drugs and equipment and should be kept secure by one of the following ways: breakaway locks, kept under surveillance in a nurses station or stored in a locked room. If a crash cart is accessed during an emergency it's important to have all contents available for use, so keeping it locked is of the utmost importance. Also, remember to have pharmacy replace and restock the cart as soon as possible after being used during an emergency. It is the responsibility of the pharmacy department to replenish crash carts.

• 3

  Monitor Patient Safety:

  Implement fall prevention programs for all staff inclusion, direct care as well as support staff. Post signs in clear view on patient doors signifying a patient's level of fall precaution. For patients that require restraints,these should be utilized according to physician orders and only to prevent the patient from harming himself, staff, or others.