News & Analysis | .accreditationqualitycenter

Medical Environment Update

- Volume

Issue

Remember to update your facility’s list of hazardous chemicals

February 11, 2026

Environment and Facilities, Laboratory Safety, Workplace safety

Remember to update your facility’s list of hazardous chemicals and materials at least annually, possibly more often depending on your state and local regulations. ...

Patient Safety Monitor Journal

- Volume

Issue

Surgeon general: Loneliness just as harmful as smoking

February 11, 2026

Behavioral & Mental Health, Patient Safety, Health Equity

The report makes the case with hard science and research that loneliness not only impacts a patient’s mental health, but their physical health as well, including: 29% increased risk of heart dis...

Accreditation & Quality Compliance Advisor

- Volume

Issue

New survey sheds light on workplace violence in healthcare settings

February 11, 2026

Workplace safety

Healthcare organizations carry a heavy workplace violence burden, with about three-quarters of U.S. workplace assaults occurring in healthcare settings, according to the Occupational Safety and Health...

Accreditation & Quality Compliance Advisor

- Volume

Issue

All surgical team members should participate in right-site, right-procedure, right-person time outs

June 13, 2023

Accreditation & Survey Preparation, Patient Safety

Tomorrow, June 14, is National Time Out Day, and The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) are urging all surgical team members to participate in pre-ope...

Healthcare Safety Leader

- Volume

Issue

Use environmental ligature risk assessments to get ahead of potential survey deficiencies

June 13, 2023

Accreditation & Survey Preparation, Behavioral & Mental Health

The prevention of suicide and other forms of patient self-harm continues to be a focus of CMS and accrediting organizations (AO). While CMS does not require an environmental risk assessment, the Accre...

Inside Accreditation & Quality

- Volume

Issue

CMS deficiency statements lay out problems in case of woman denied abortion

June 13, 2023

Accreditation & Survey Preparation

In August 2022, a Joplin, Missouri, woman who was 17 weeks pregnant suffered a placental abruption, or loss of amniotic fluid, and sought care at a local hospital. When that hospital said it could not...

Mac's Safety Space

- Volume

Issue

Mac’s Safety Space: The front line of infection prevention

June 12, 2023

Environment and Facilities, Infection Control

While 100% of the potential for elevated risks of a healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) does not walk through the doors of your emergency department, you could certainly make the case that a fairly hi...

Accreditation & Quality Compliance Advisor

- Volume

Issue

COVID vaccinations officially not required

May 31, 2023

Accreditation & Survey Preparation

CMS issued a final rule May 31 officially rescinding the regulatory requirement to vaccinate healthcare staff in hospitals and other health organizations against the COVID-19 virus. ...

Accreditation & Quality Compliance Advisor

- Volume

Issue

Bugs bite: Remind patients about insect-borne diseases this summer

February 11, 2026

Environment and Facilities, Infection Control, Patient Safety

Warn your patients that bites from mosquitos, ticks, and other insects aren’t just an annoyance this summer, but also can carry dangerous and life-threatening diseases. The importance of taking precau...

Inside Accreditation & Quality

- Volume

Issue

Review emergency abortion protocols and educate staff as hospitals face EMTALA investigations

February 11, 2026

Accreditation & Survey Preparation

Establish an incident response team to handle decisions about high-risk pregnancy cases that may present dilemmas in your hospital’s emergency department (ED) as states continue to pass more restricti...

Remember to update your facility’s list of hazardous chemicals

Surgeon general: Loneliness just as harmful as smoking

New survey sheds light on workplace violence in healthcare settings

All surgical team members should participate in right-site, right-procedure, right-person time outs

Use environmental ligature risk assessments to get ahead of potential survey deficiencies

CMS deficiency statements lay out problems in case of woman denied abortion

Mac’s Safety Space: The front line of infection prevention

COVID vaccinations officially not required

Bugs bite: Remind patients about insect-borne diseases this summer

Review emergency abortion protocols and educate staff as hospitals face EMTALA investigations

Resource/w tools selected

STET CMS & tools

OSHA Dental Facilities Update - November 2023

OSHA Medical Facilities Update - November 2023

Tab 2, Medical Facilities OSHA Manual- August 2023

Tab 2, Dental Facility OSHA Manual- August 2023

Chapter 2: Chapter Format and Tracer Planning