Update: Requirement for addressing ethical issues

Beginning Aug. 27, an update will become effective for the Leadership (LD) requirement addressing ethical issues. The update does not introduce a new requirement or new expectations for compliance, but rather reinforces a longstanding expectation for accredited healthcare organizations.

EP 1 of the standard — LD.04.02.03: Ethical principles guide the [organization’s] business practices — now states: “The [organization] develops and implements a process that allows staff, [patients], and families to address ethical issues or issues prone to conflict.”

The update is to better reflect the intent of this element of performance (EP) for the following Joint Commission accreditation programs:

• Hospital
• Critical Access Hospital
• Ambulatory Care
• Behavioral Health Care and Human Services
• Home Care
• Laboratory
• Nursing Care Center

Questions regarding this revision can be directed to the Department of Standards and Survey Methods.