The Joint Commission revised its requirements for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAH) to align with CMS Conditions of Participation, effective September 29. The changes are part of a CMS initiative to remove unnecessary, obsolete, or burdensome requirements, according to Joint Commission Online.

The changes include new requirements that allow multihospital systems with separately certified hospitals to have a unified, integrated medical staff; these are for hospitals and CAHs with distinct part rehabilitation and psychiatric distinct part units. There are also new and revised requirements for hospitals that have swing beds used for long-term care and for outpatient services orders for hospitals and CAHs with rehab and psychiatric distinct part units.

Read the revised requirements.