Jcaho Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Jcaho and links to relevant pages within the course.
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| Which of the following is not directly responsible for setting and monitoring competency requirements for laboratory personnel: | View Page |
| What does the JCAHO Speak UP campaign encourage? | View Page |
| The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations promotes improved patient safety through its programs and resources. True or false? | View Page |
| Sentinel Event Reporting Current policy encourages voluntary reporting of Sentinel Events and their associated Root Cause Analysis results to JCAHO's Sentinel Event Database.
Sharing this information is valuable. Many organizations do not experience Sentinel Events, but they can use systems and process improvement information to reduce the possibility of Sentinel Events. | View Page |
| Sentinel Events JCAHO calls adverse events Sentinel Events. It defines a Sentinel Event as an unexpected occurrence that involves death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk that these might occur. RCA analyzes Sentinel Events. | View Page |
| JCAHO and Sentinel Events JCAHO learns about 80% of known Sentinel Events through healthcare organization reports and 20% through information from other sources, such as the media.
In 1996, JCAHO implemented a Sentinel Events Policy for healthcare organizations. This policy requires organizations to monitor and report adverse events, explore their causes, and report on changes they make in response. | View Page |
| JCAHO Sentinel Event ALERTS
Since 1998, JCAHO has issued 25 Sentinel Event ALERTS to the healthcare community. These publications include more than 50 evidence or expert-based recommendations for preventing adverse events.
Sentinel Event Alerts address various error reduction topics:
Transfusion reactionsInpatient suicideInfant abductionsWrong site surgery or other proceduresPatient falls
Laboratory professionals can be involved in all of these types of Sentinel Events.
JCAHO's first Sentinel Event ALERT addressed the common practice of storing concentrated potassium chloride solutions in hospital nursing units.
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| Sentinel Events Review | View Page |
| Root Cause Analysis JCAHO has a very important role in cause analysis of medical errors. Since 1995, it has been increasing its focus on patient safety by requiring in-depth analysis, Root Cause Analysis, to determine the underlying causes of every adverse event.
Root causes are specific reasons that contribute to medical errors. They cause mistakes that lead to great patient harm (adverse events). Usually they can be identified.
Examples:
Using a wrong calculation factor
Neglecting to use directions for complicated tests
Reporting the wrong test result
Using outdated reagents
Testing clotted or partially-filled samplesDiluting a test sample incorrectly
In most cases, management has the authority and means to resolve root causes. Root Cause Analysis also recommends actions to prevent reoccurrence of an adverse event. | View Page |
| These statements describe ways laboratory professionals can prevent medical errors. | View Page |
| Failure Mode and Effect Analysis Other accreditation programs also encourage error prevention. For example, JCAHO requires healthcare organizations to perform Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) at least once each year.
FMEA systematically identifies ways developing systems and processes might fail to eliminate the likelihood of failure.
Its goal is preventing errors before they occur. | View Page |
| New JCAHO Standards The healthcare community uses RCA to reduce medical errors, but it is reactive in nature. For this reason, JCAHO collaborates with recognized patient safety experts to develop and implement additional patient safety standards.
These new standards charge healthcare organization leaders to create cultures of patient safety. They emphasize the need for teamwork and effective communication.
They are based on well-known experiences of the aviation industry and they reflect findings from JCAHO's Sentinel Event Database. They identify communication breakdowns as the most common underlying factor in all types of Sentinel Events. | View Page |
| JCAHO Patient Safety Goals
JCAHO adopted national patient safety goals for laboratories and many other healthcare organizations.
2006 Laboratory Services National Patient Safety
Goals
These goals are directly quoted. | View Page |
| Choose the organization(s) that strive to improve patient safety. | View Page |
| Speak Up Campaign
JCAHO also encourages people to do things themselves to prevent errors.
It joined other groups in 2002 to launch the consumer Speak Up campaign. It encourages the public to become active participants in their healthcare and "speak up" when they have questions and concerns.
As a healthcare professional, you should be aware that JCAHO has started a program to encourage patients and their families to become more involved in their medical care. | View Page |
| Resources for Medical Error Prevention More information about laboratory-related medical errors and ways to prevent them can be found at the following Websites:
JCAHO at http://www.jointcommission.org
ASCP at http://www.ascp.org
ASCLS at http://www.ascls.org
IOM at http://www.iom.edu
Westgard.com at http://www.westgard.com
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