MRSA and CLABSI updates are coupled with a new commentary on horizontal and vertical infection prevention approaches....

During an emergency, the hospital should determine the level of control that is needed for the particular event at hand. How could you control access while maintaining essential functions?...

Surgical site infections are the most frequently occurring HAI, accounting for one-third of the annual cost or about $3.3 billion. But central line-associated bloodstream infections are the most exp...

I recently came across a survey finding that I thought would be worth sharing with the class. In this particular survey, an organization was cited because it had not identified the square footage of t...

Conducting a timeout, including the use of a checklist, before beginning a surgery is a well-known requirement of The Joint Commission-it has been a standard of quality care for years now. Staff in op...

There are four phases of emergency management. Name them and identify which two occur prior to the emergency event. ...

The threat of loss of accreditation is one that keeps survey coordinators and hospital leaders awake at night, but for most hospitals, it's more of a bogeyman than an actual threat-there are many stag...

First and foremost, it goes without saying that we all want to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right patient the first time, and every time thereafter, without making a mistake or causi...

Every year, CMS releases an annual financial report. Within that report, the agency provides a review of Medicare's oversight of accrediting organizations. It has become a Briefings on The Joint Commi...

Editor's note: Patrick Pianezza, MHA, currently works for VEP Healthcare as the manager of patient experience, overseeing patient experience and special projects across VEP's vast networks of emergenc...