TJC Changes PPR to Focused Standards Assessment

The following announcement was published in the June 29, 2011 issue of Joint Commission Online:

In 2012, The Joint Commission will develop and test multiple components of a broad initiative called the Intracycle Monitoring (IM) process. One of the components is an incrementally improved Periodic Performance Review (PPR), which will be renamed the Focused Standards Assessment (FSA). The new name more appropriately reflects an emphasis on an organization’s assessment combined with The Joint Commission’s knowledge of high risk areas that are critical to patient safety and quality. The IM process, when complete, will focus on activities to help identify risk points in health care organizations along with resources for addressing patient safety and quality problems. The FSA – the improved PPR – will be effective January 1, 2012. Also effective January 1, 2012, the FSA will only need to be submitted 12 and 24 months following the organization’s last triennial survey. The FSA will not need to be submitted during the third year of accreditation (the year the organization is due for the on-site survey). All four of the options for participating in the FSA will continue to be available; results of the FSA will also continue not to impact an organization’s accreditation decision. During 2012, pilot tests of the new IM process will occur; results of these pilot tests will be communicated in future issues of Joint Commission Online. Full implementation is planned for 2013. (Contact: Gail Weinberger, gweinberger@jointcommission.org)