Changes in TJC Standards to Meet CoP Requirements

The following update was released by The Joint Commission PTAC:

In January 2009, The Joint Commission posted 165 new and revised requirements as part of its hospital deeming application to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Following successful discussions with CMS, a number of those requirements were considered equivalent to existing elements of performance or were already addressed in The Joint Commission survey process. As a result, the number of new and revised requirements has been reduced to 87. These updated Conditions of Participation (COP)-related requirements are posted online, along with a side-by-side comparison between the standards posted on January 5, and the March 26 release.

Hospitals will be surveyed on these requirements from April 6 through June 30, 2009; however, non-compliance will not impact the accreditation decision. Hospitals will receive feedback separate from the Official Accreditation Decision Report on their efforts to meet these requirements. Beginning July 1, 2009, non-compliance will impact the accreditation decision.

Organizations should note that CMS’ final decision regarding the deeming application will be made later this year, and there may be further changes to the standards based on that decision. The Joint Commission remains confident that it will receive deeming authority.

To view the requirements visit The Joint Commission website, http://www.jointcommission.org/ or http://www.jointcommission.org/Standards/.