NOT COMPLIANT – ISSUE NO. 66

A list to avoid was the list of the the top five Joint Commission requirements that were most frequently identified as "not compliant" for the first half of 2010 for accredited organizations and certified programs. JCAHO and its other counterparts play such a vital role in auditing the performance of healthcare organizations. It is mind numbing sometimes to realize the shear breadth and depth of issues JCAHO, etc. are responsible for reviewing. The reality is that they can only scan the surface of what an organization is doing. So when something is cited, it likely is a very serious problem and needs to be addressed. JCAHO is analogous to the highway patrol officer searching for speeders with his radar gun. We need to be sure we help JCAHO out by doing the speed limit. Being up to date with JCAHO guidelines is key. More important even still is keeping with the spirit of those guidelines.