The most common Joint Commission deficiencies in 2022 included a variety of medication management issues.
Many facilities struggled to comply with requirements for managing high-alert and hazardous drugs, checking for expiration dates on medications and inspecting medications for particulates. Does your facility have a plan in place to avoid deficiencies?
Going through a survey can be stressful, no matter who the surveying body is. Although these were the most common deficiencies for The Joint Commission facilities, they remain just as pertinent for facilities who undergo survey through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), or Quad A. For facilities that are proactive, the worst part of being surveyed is the anticipation. Facilities usually find that surveyors are very quick to notice a facility that has systems in place versus a facility that began preparing six months ago and is winging it.
How does your facility prepare for survey? Do you have established policies and procedures that are continuously updated to match best practices? Do you review these routinely? Do you work with experts in infection control and medication management to ensure you’re following the latest guidance? This week our clients will get a list of the most common deficiencies and ways to avoid them.
Some of the most often cited deficiencies are in areas we assume are simple. Checking expiration dates should be simple, but there are some subtleties that can lead to problematic surveys. Additionally, there’s a lot more to safe medication management than just checking expiration dates. There’s also more to expiration dates than meets the eye. How is your facility ensuring compliance with all these issues? Who is keeping up with all the changes in clinical and regulatory guidelines and best practices? Staying ahead of the curve is more than a full-time job and too much for one person. We always suggest having a nurse on your team who is the medication management champion. That nurse should collaborate with your pharmacy consultant, who should be an expert and your leader in medication management best practices. If you don’t already have a system in place, start now and get on the path to less stressful surveys. If you have questions about these items, or if we can help you in any way, please reach out to us.
The Consultant Pharmacists at OctariusRx provide guidance on safe medication management, survey readiness and cost savings to ambulatory healthcare facilities/surgery centers, senior care facilities and pharmacies. We also help individual patients optimize their medications to improve their quality of life and save money. Contact us for assistance.
