It may sound like a broken record, but The Joint Commission’s list of most-cited standards reveals that surveyors are still finding the same problems cropping up during hospital surveys year after year. Published in the April issue of The Joint Commission Perspectives, the list includes the top 10 standards for which hospitals received Requirements for Improvement citations during the 2014 calendar year. The hospital list was compiled from 1,278 surveys.

Topping the list is EC.02.06.01 (maintenance of a safe environment) with 56% of hospitals cited, followed by EC.02.05.01 (management of utility system risks) with 53%, and IC.02.02.01 (reduction of infection risk from equipment, devices, and supplies) with 52%. The rest of the list is as follows:
•    LS.02.01.20 (maintenance of egress integrity), 50%
•    RC.01.01.01 (maintenance of accurate, complete medical records for all patients), 49%
•    EC.02.03.05 (maintenance of fire safety equipment and building features), 48%
•    LS.02.01.10 (minimization of fire, smoke, and heat damage via building and fire protection features), 46%
•    LS.02.01.30 (building features provided and maintained to protect from fire and smoke hazards), 43%
•    LS.02.01.35 (fire extinguishment features provided and maintained), 43%
•    EC.02.02.01 (management of hazardous materials and waste risks), 36%