Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

8 PATIENT SAFETY & OUTCOMES Joint Commission to overhaul quality metrics, freeze accreditation fees: 6 changes for 2023 By Bari Faye Dean T he Joint Commission is undergoing sweeping overhaul of its standards, eliminating 168 standards (14 percent) and revising another 14 standards. e organization is looking to make its accreditation programs as "efficient and impactful on patient safety, quality and equity as possible," according to Jonathan Perlin, MD, PhD, president and CEO of e Joint Commission. Additionally, e Joint Commission will freeze hospital accreditation fees "to provide relief to healthcare organizations," the organization said Dec. 21. e first set of changes took effect Jan. 1. A second tranche of changes is currently being considered for revision or elimination and is expected to be announced in mid-2023. Dr. Perlin said the elimination and revision to standards comes in the wake of a major review of its programs in September 2022. e Joint Commission decided to make these changes aer noting some of the standards go beyond CMS's regulatory requirements. CMS approved discontinuing 168 standards and revising another 14, aer noting the changes do not negatively impact any CMS regulatory requirements. "e standards reduction will help streamline Joint Commission requirements, as well as provide some much-needed relief to healthcare professionals and organizations as they continue to recover from the pandemic," Dr. Perlin said, noting the goal is to have standards that add value and "best support safer, higher-quality and more equitable health outcomes." Five more changes e Joint Commission is rolling out in 2023: 1. Accreditation fees frozen: In an effort to provide hospitals and healthcare systems with more financial relief, domestic hospital accreditation fees will not be increased in 2023. Additionally, some surveys will be conducted at a reduced cost. 2. New healthcare equity certification: e Joint Commission will launch a new certification, Health Care Equity, in July 2023 to reinforce commitment to quality. 3. Safety briefings added: Beginning in 2023, e Joint Commission will include safety briefings prior to starting surveys. 4. Evaluation timeline extended: In 2023, the timeline for evaluating a physician's license and ability to provide care will be increased to three years from two. 5. New leadership requirements: e Joint Commission unveiled revised requirements to reduce healthcare disparities that took effect Jan. 1. n HHS to partner with health systems on national patient safety alliance By Erica Carbajal H HS is partnering with some of the country's largest health systems on a national alliance to advance patient safety. On Nov. 14, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and leaders from the CDC, FDA, CMS and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, convened a listening session with CEOs of the some of the largest U.S. health systems and patient safety advocates to discuss the launch of the National Healthcare System Action Alliance to Advance Patient Safety. The alliance will launch in 2023 as a "learning community," where participants will share evidence-based approaches to improve patient and healthcare worker safety. "HHS recognizes that healthcare systems will not make rapid progress alone. The Action Alliance itself will include patients and families as partners and inspire healthcare systems to do so as well," AHRQ said in a news release. "Other stakeholders, including professional societies, insurers, employers, the digital health sector, and industry, will be invited to contribute to advancing the National Action Plan and the efforts of The Action Alliance." n Screen patients for cannabis use before surgery, guidelines say By Mackenzie Bean H ospitals should universally screen patients for cannabis use prior to surgery, according to new guidelines from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. The guidelines recommend clinicians ask surgical patients about the type of cannabis they use — along with the amount, frequency and way it was ingested — as heavy use could have negative effects for postoperative pain control. The medical society convened an expert panel of anesthesiologists, chronic pain physicians and researchers to develop the new guidelines, which were published Jan. 3 in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. The recommendations represent the first U.S. guidelines issued on perioperative management of cannabis. n

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