Revisions to the Environment of Care Chapter for Freestanding Inpatient Hospices
Effective July 1, 2022, three new elements of performance (EPs) in the “Environment of Care” chapter will be applicable for hospices that provide inpatient care in their own facilities (freestanding inpatient hospices). These EPs address power strips in the patient care vicinity, testing fuel quality of emergency power systems at least annually, and maintaining furnishings and equipment in good repair.
Joint Commission surveyors have observed that the majority of hospices that provide inpatient care in their own facilities currently have these processes in place; however, we wanted to include these requirements within our manual so organizations are aware of the expectations and surveyors can score noncompliance appropriately during survey. The Joint Commission conducted a three-week focused customer engagement with freestanding inpatient hospices to obtain feedback on the proposed elements of performance with favorable responses.
Prepublication Standards - Effective July 1, 2022