Several of The Joint Commission's elements of performance for critical access hospitals will be added or revised to align with CMS' final rule published in the Federal Register in November.— regarding restraint and seclusion as well as the complaint process
The updated EPs, which are coming "soon," according to a May 31 Joint Commission news release, are also expected to unify and integrate "structures for critical access hospitals that are part of a multihospital system."
The prepublication standards can be viewed here.
The particular EPs that are being updated or added refer primarily to restraint and seclusion as well as the complaint process, the news release said.
The changes will be effective June 1, "However, until these new and revised EPs are incorporated into their appropriate chapters in Joint Commission survey technology, findings, along with the applicable conditions of participation requirements, will be scored at standard LD.04.01.01, EP 2, until the fall interim standards release on Aug. 27," the commission's release said.
Updates can be found in several EPs in the following categories: information management, medical staff, provision of care, treatment, services, and rights and responsibilities of individual chapters.