JCAHO announces 2007 Patient Safety Goals

JCAHO announced its 2007 National Patient Safety Goals last week, which apply to nearly 15,000 accredited and certified healthcare organizations.

Major changes in the 2007 goals include extension of a requirement that accredited organizations define and communicate the means for patients and their families to report concerns about safety, across all Joint Commission accreditation and certification programs.

A new requirement specifies that behavioral health care organizations, as well as psychiatric hospitals identify patients at risk for suicide. This requirement is part of the Goal: “The organization identifies safety risks inherent in its patient populations.” For home care organizations, a corresponding requirement under this goal stipulates that these organizations are to identify risks associated with long-term oxygen therapy such as home fires.

New language in one of the two requirements under the existing medication reconciliation goal stipulates that a complete list of current medications be provided to patient on discharge from care.

“The 2007 National Patient Safety Goals target critical areas where patient safety can be improved through specific actions in health care organizations,” says Dennis S. O’Leary, M.D., president, Joint Commission. “Organizations that truly integrate these requirements into their daily operations will realize major opportunities to improve patient safety.”