OSHA Proceeding With Healthcare Rulemakings
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will proceed with three rulemakings focused on the healthcare industry—standards for COVID-19, infectious diseases, and workplace violence—the Department of Labor (DOL) announced as part of the fall 2022 unified regulatory agenda unveiled January 4.
HHS Again Tackles a Proposed New Rule Against ‘Conscience and Religious Discrimination’
The proposal, which would be entitled “Safeguarding the Rights of Conscience as Protected by Federal Statutes,” is designed to “to restore the longstanding process for the handling of conscience complaints and provide additional safeguards to protect against conscience and religious discrimination,” according to an HHS statement from Secretary Xavier Becerra.
AAAHC Analysis Finds Increased Citations For Infection Prevention, Safety
The report analyzes accredited organization compliance ratings based on onsite surveys conducted from January 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Organizations surveyed include ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), Medicare Deemed Status ASCs, office-based surgery practices, and primary care settings.
CIHQ Earns CMS Approval as an AO For Next 5 Years
As part of the approval process, CIHQ has made several changes and will likely make more as required by CMS. The changes largely involve standards and procedures related to fire safety and facilities management standards and surveys.
Holiday Decorations Can Cost a Lot If They Come With a Citation
A hospital in Kansas was cited by CMS in 2020 was cited under K-0753, the CMS K-tag for such festive adornments, for failing “to provide corridors safe from excessive combustible decorations” after a lab supply closet was spotted “completely covered with combustible decorations.”
Joint Commission Eliminates Use of ‘Licensed Independent Practitioner’
The Joint Commission (TJC) will no longer use the term “licensed independent practitioner” in its hospital and critical access hospital standards. Starting February 19, 2023, the term “licensed practitioner” will be used.
CMS Hones In On Underperforming Nursing Homes With Tougher Oversight
Eighty-eight nursing homes participate in the SFF Program, which is 0.5% of all nursing homes in the country. The Program was created to help nursing homes improve compliance and quality, however, some facilities have not been able to achieve the necessary standards to graduate from the Program, or they fail to sustain compliance.
CMS Posts Reminder to Maintain COVID-19, Flu Protections
In a Quality, Safety & Oversight Group memo to survey offices nationwide, CMS said “all providers and suppliers should continue to implement appropriate infection control protocols for COVID-19,” as well as the flu, and included links to CDC guidance on both.
CMS Urges Hospitals to Take Violence Prevention Steps
To provide care in a safe setting for both patients and healthcare workers, hospitals need to identify patients at risk for intentional harm to themselves or others, CMS recommended in its November 28 memo, as well as identify environmental safety risks for such patients and provide education and training for staff and volunteers. CMS said it expects hospitals to demonstrate how they identify patients at risk of self-harm or harm to others and what steps they are taking to minimize those risks.
It’s Official: CMS Creates New Rural Emergency Hospital Provider Type
In its annual final rule on hospital outpatient prospective payment and ambulatory surgical center payment systems, scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on November 23, CMS also finalized a set of REH Conditions of Participation (CoP), which it says track closely with CoPs for critical access hospitals.