TJC & CMS News Blog Information
for Hospitals and Behavioral Healthcare
To read articles written prior to January 2015, please view our Newsletter Archive.
Joint Commission Environment of Care Review: Different in 2021
Get ready! The Joint Commission Environment of Care survey process for hospitals has changed in 2021. Previously, there was a one hour session on the hospital survey agenda dedicated to the Environment of Care review. TJC eliminated that session effective January 1,...
Joint Commission Behavioral Telehealth Update
As we’ve all witnessed, the use of behavioral telehealth has increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clearly, it’s proven an important vehicle for delivering services, particularly in the face of the mental health issues the pandemic has created. As a result, the question of “What are the Joint Commission behavioral telehealth requirements?” has come up frequently. So, let’s take a look at that …
Joint Commission Survey Status: November 2020
What’s the latest on Joint Commission survey activity? As we know, The Joint Commission resumed onsite survey activity in June. Their approach has been to conduct onsite surveys in counties that are low risk for COVID-19. At the same time, they began conducting a limited number of virtual surveys. So, what’s the current Joint Commission survey status …
Joint Commission Flu Vaccination Requirements: 90% Goal Eliminated
The Joint Commission recently announced elimination of the requirement for a 90% flu vaccination goal effective January 1, 2021. Currently, Infection Control standard IC.02.04.01 Element of Performance # 5 requires organizations to …
Joint Commission Credentialing & Privileging Tracer: Focus for 2021
As we head into 2021, watch for a more consistent surveyor approach to the Joint Commission Credentialing & Privileging Tracer. In the past, this session has been somewhat surveyor dependent and, thus, has varied in its level of scrutiny. Seems...
Joint Commission Heads-Up Reports: A Valuable Tool
There’s a valuable resource you should know about on your TJC Connect extranet site. It’s the Joint Commission Heads-Up Report. You'll find it under the Resources & Tools section. Joint Commission Heads-Up Reports TJC produces these reports quarterly for all...
Onsite Joint Commission Surveys Resuming
Some of our clients are “back in the saddle again” in terms of onsite Joint Commission surveys. For example, we had several clients undergo their onsite triennial surveys last month. So, what are surveys like these days in light of the COVID-19 reality? We got some...
Virtual Joint Commission Surveys: How They Work
Have you heard about virtual Joint Commission surveys? TJC began conducting these a few months ago. They’re currently limited to hospitals applying for initial CMS deemed status and opioid treatment programs. So, what does a virtual survey process look like?
CMS Gives TJC 2 Year Deemed Status Approval
News Flash: CMS recently granted The Joint Commission only a two year approval for its authority to conduct deemed status surveys for hospitals. The last approval was for six years. So, what’s behind this shorter approval period?
Behavioral Health Tracers: Joint Commission 2020 Survey Update
Wondering what types of behavioral health tracers The Joint Commission is conducting as they resume surveys? By “behavioral health tracers” we mean the tracers done in psychiatric hospitals, behavioral health organizations, and psychiatric units of med/surg hospitals....