Time is running out to apply for the 20th John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum (NQF) will close the application at 11:59 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sept. 30.
The annual awards program recognizes extraordinary efforts to improve patient safety and health care quality at the individual, local and national levels. Organizations submitting an initiative for the local or national awards must provide one year of data supporting its success. The accomplishments for each initiative submitted for consideration should be clearly linked to the principles Dr. Eisenberg promoted throughout his career, which include:
- Dedication to improving the quality of health care and patient safety.
- Leadership in advancing methods for measuring and reporting health care quality.
- Expanding the public’s capacity to evaluate the quality and safety of health care.
- Promoting health care choices based upon information about safety and quality.
- Patient safety and quality challenges affecting public health.
The $400 application fee is also due Sept. 30, and applicants will be prompted to the payment site following submission. For more information on the award, eligibility, past recipients and to apply, please visit the Eisenberg Award webpage or email EisenbergAwards@qualityforum.org.
A new episode of Modern Healthcare’s “The Check Up,” a 15-minute Q&A video, features Ana Pujols McKee, MD, The Joint Commission’s Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.
In the video, she talks about health care disparities and how they are patient safety hazards. Additionally, she gives information about the Bernard J. Tyson National Award for Excellence in Pursuit of Healthcare Equity.
Watch the video.
A Pioneers in Quality (PIQ) webinar scheduled for Oct. 19 will focus on the 2022 ORYX® Performance Measurement Requirements.
The 90-minute session will start at 9 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. MT / 11 a.m. CT / noon ET. During the webinar, Joint Commission staff will:
- Inform participants of the 2022 ORYX® Performance Measurement Requirements for chart-abstracted and electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) data submission for accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals.
- Explain ORYX policy requirements effective calendar year (CY) 2022.
- Highlight the Joint Commission Measurement website resources available, including measures list, submission deadlines, measure specifications, FAQs, quality measurement webinars and videos.
The webinar also offers 1.5 Continuing Education (CE) credit for those who:
- Individually register for the webinar.
- Listen to the live webinar in its entirety. Only those listening live during the session will be eligible to receive credit.
- Complete a post-program evaluation/attestation. The program evaluation/attestation link will be sent to your registered email after the webinar.
A webinar has been scheduled for Oct. 14 focusing on measure specifications for the Health Care Staffing Services Certification (HCSS) Program.
The HCSS Program provides clinical staff, such as nurses and allied health professionals, to hospitals, nursing home facilities, and other health care organizations. Per diem and travel staff are assigned to meet temporary staffing vacancies or shortages.
During the webinar, participants will learn about the revised performance measures for health care staffing services with a focus on staff competency and customer satisfaction with the services provided. Joint Commission staff also will:
- Discuss revisions made to the HCSS measure set.
- Highlight sections of the measure specifications.
- Detail Measure Information Forms (MIFs).
- Provide data elements and definitions.
- Talk about measure algorithm logic.
The session will be recorded and available for viewing on-demand within two hours of the live
broadcast using the same link that participants use to register.
The Joint Commission is seeking feedback on revised standards for its Nursing Care Center Accreditation and Memory Care Certification programs. The standards are being revised to further promote patient safety and quality of care, as well as to align the accreditation and certification requirements with the latest scientific evidence, practice guidelines, and recommendations from nationally recognized organizations.
The new and revised requirements address several areas, including infection control practices, pressure injury prevention and care, and dementia care.
Comment now. Feedback will be accepted through Oct. 27. (Contact: Mamello Tekateka, mtekateka@jointcommission.org)
Ambulatory Buzz — Payor Recognitions: Adding Value for Joint Commission Ambulatory Care Organizations: Joint Commission accreditation and certification are used to satisfy a number of requirements for health plan network participation. This article discusses three main ways payors use Joint Commission Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation and Certification programs as a criterion for network participation. These programs will be discussed in a graduated degree of rigor related to an organization’s ability to gain access to these payor networks, writes Kimberly Clawson, Senior Associate Director, Payor Relations.