Accreditation

The Joint Commission releases its 2008 National Patient Safety Goals

Accreditation Connection, July 2, 2007

Healthcare organizations will face one new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) in 2008 that requires clinicians to respond rapidly to changes in a patient's condition and one new requirement on anticoagulant therapy, though both of these goals will not require full implementation until 2009. The Joint Commission announced the 2008 NPGS on June 25.

Also, the Joint Commission added to its existing hand hygiene regulation (NPSG 7A) to include the World Health Organization's guidelines as being permissible to use in addition to those from the Centers for Disease Control.

Both of the new goals will have a phase-in period during 2008, during which hospitals will have checkpoints, or milestones, at which they are required to show progress in becoming compliant.

To read The Joint Commission's release, click here.

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