The following Pre-publication Standards are now available:
Revisions to Standard MS.1.20 Approved
At its June meeting, the Joint Commission Board of Commissioners approved revisions to Standard MS.1.20, which addresses medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations, and policies. These revisions were written with the intent of supporting and reinforcing a productive working relationship between the organized medical staff and the governing body – consistent with the requirements of the new Leadership Chapter – while minimizing disruptions to the hospital, including its medical staff. All of the requirements in Standard MS.1.20 must be jointly approved by the organized medical staff (or the medical staff executive committee, if so delegated by the organized medical staff) and the governing body.
Leadership Chapter
The Leadership Chapter has been revised for all accreditation programs as part of The Joint Commission’s regular standards renewal process, whose principal goal is to ensure that standards remain current. With respect to the Leadership standards, The Joint Commission has undertaken several parallel initiatives that have resulted in additional standards and a major reordering of the chapter. The chapter includes four sections: Leadership Structure, Leadership Relationships, Organization Culture and System Performance, and Operations. The revised Leadership Chapter will be effective January 1, 2009.