In late spring 2005, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization’s  (JCAHO) Board of Commissioners officially approved the National Patient Safety Goals for 2006. These nationally recognized goals are derived from recommendations in the newsletter, Sentinel Event Alert, and contain relevant information regarding safety for patients and providers. Humana Military supports promulgation and implementation, where applicable, of these Patient Safety Goals.

• Review of the ‘Ambulatory Care and Office Based Surgery,’ ‘Behavioral Health’ and ‘Disease Specific’ categories reveals one common new goal. This goal represents an enhancement to communication between providers and caregivers. JCAHO is recommending a consistent, standardized approach for “hand-off” communications when the patient is transferring to another level of care, another department, or another facility. These communications should afford a chance to ask questions, clarify issues, etc.
   
• In the ‘Ambulatory Care and Office Based Surgery’ category, another new goal enhances medication safety. JCAHO is recommending adequate labeling of solutions, medications and their containers in procedural settings.
   
• The category of ‘Disease Specific’ goals advocates an active fall safety program, with measures to assess the effectiveness of the programs. Other new goals for this category address the need for inclusion of patients and families in safety planning and interventions, and incorporation of methods to urge reporting of safety issues.

For the remaining goals and a helpful FAQ document, please access additional information from the JCAHO Web site.

Humana Military wishes to express gratitude for your continued efforts to promote patient safety—good work, and thank you!

Sources:
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Patient Safety. Retrieved March 23, 2006, from:  www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/NationalPatientSafetyGoals/06_npsg_facts.htm
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Speak Up. Retrieved March 23, 2006, from: www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/SpeakUp

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Contacts (Article 7)

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Last Reviewed: July 10, 2007