The new 2016 Joint Commission ASC standards are now in effect. Ambulatory service centers must abide by the new National Patient Safety Goals, as of the beginning of January 2016. These apply to ambulatory health care centers (ASC’S), office-based surgery centers and laboratory services.
Joint Commission ASC Standards 2016
For 2016, the same National Patient Safety Goals remain in effect, with a few updates scheduled to appear this month. Medical offices for surgery, laboratory, and other emergency care must follow new safety protocols. These include guidelines for alarm systems, infection, patient admitting, and surgery room conduct.
National Patient Safety Goal
Regarding NPSG.06.01.01, policies and procedures for alarm systems (performances 3 and 4) are effective as of this month for all hospitals and critical access hospitals. Other updates include infection protection, patient identification, surgery center errors, and labeling of medications.New alarm guidelines
In 2013, the Joint Commission published a as part of their National Safety Goal. This was established to educate physicians managing ambulatory services, laboratory services, and surgical centers about clinical alarms. The National Patient Safety Goal continues now with phase 2.In 2013, the Joint Commission published a Sentinel Event Alert as part of their National Safety Goal. In 2014, NPDG phase 1 for clinical alarms began for ASC’s, labs, and surgical centers. The National Patient Safety Goal continues now with phase 2.
Medical centers providing critical care services must follow new 2016 guidelines for emergency safety. Changes to clinical alarms include:
- Compliance with current medical construction standards
- Alarm settings administration and permissions
- Parameters for alarm modification and disabling
- Alarm monitoring and response
- Alarm functioning and maintenance
- Education of all persons responsible for alarm systems