The Joint Commission is updating how infection prevention and control, and medication management systems are evaluated during hospital surveys, the organization said March 27.
Effective May 1, these systems will no longer be evaluated in a meeting format. Instead, surveyors will assess these processes during individual tracer sessions.
"During tracers, surveyors will observe processes, interview key staff and visit areas of the organization that are integral to the day-to-day functioning of these systems," The Joint Commission said.
Infection control-related systems will be evaluated throughout the survey by all surveyors, while analysis of the medication management system will occur during a block of tracer time.
The data use/management segment of the "System Tracers" session will still occur in a meeting format but be renamed as the "Organization Quality and Performance Improvement" session.
Learn more here.