Regulatory Compliance

The Difference Between Passing a Joint Commission Survey and Continuous Improvement

Hospital Management, Infection Control, Joint Commission, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Tissue Management /

With the recent scrutiny placed on the Joint Commission (TJC) in publications like the Wall Street Journal, TJC has found itself on the defensive regarding its accreditations and how it holds hospitals accountable for safety violations. In response, TJC has been trying to open up a dialogue with the public about the importance of its […]

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How Michigan Medicine Tracks Tissue To Meet Joint Commission Standards and Reduce Costs

Clinical Documentation, Cost Reduction, Hospital Finance, Hospital Management, Infection Control, Joint Commission, Operating Rooms, Operational Efficiency, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Supply Chain, The Business of Surgery, Tissue Management /

University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers (U-M) in Ann Arbor, Michigan is one of the nation’s top medical centers, and was recently named the #6 hospital in the United States according to the 2016-17 Best Hospitals Honor Roll rankings by US News and World Report.  As the main medical campus of the Michigan Medicine

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Is Your Endoscope Reprocessing Area Set Up For Success?

Infection Control, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

Many hospitals continue to underestimate the importance of a successful endoscope reprocessing practice. Several hospitals and medical facilities that we’ve visited invest too little in facilities and staff to prepare their endoscopes after usage in procedures.  However, if a hospital is unable to successfully ensure the cleanliness of these vital reusable instruments, they could be

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The Importance of Visual Inspection for Endoscope Reprocessing

Infection Control, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

Visual inspection has emerged in recent years as an important quality assurance step during endoscope reprocessing. Updated guidelines from AAMI, AORN and SGNA have all included a visual inspection step during the disinfection process to ensure that scopes are being thoroughly prepared for the next patient. All three standards organizations have come out in support

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New Research On Endoscope Disinfection Reveals Importance of Forced Air Drying

Infection Control, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

A new study into the cleanliness of endoscopes following high level disinfection has revealed some important findings.  The research team, headed by Dr. Adarsh Thaker at UCLA, used specialized digital video cameras to perform visual inspection on 59 duodenoscopes, gastroscopes, echoendoscopes and colonoscopes after manual cleaning and high level disinfection. Each visual inspection included a

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Establishing a Successful Scope Management Strategy

Hospital Management, Infection Control, Joint Commission, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

Hospitals and healthcare providers are under increased scrutiny by The Joint Commission (TJC), the FDA, DNV and even Congress to improve the documentation practices around flexible endoscope usage. There are articles in the media seemingly every day about how an endoscope manufacturer or a hospital was cited, sued or otherwise put in a negative light

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Meeting Joint Commission Tissue Tracking Requirements

Clinical Documentation, Joint Commission, Operating Rooms, Operational Efficiency, Regulatory Compliance, The Business of Surgery, Tissue Management /

Creating safe, efficient and accurate tissue management processes has become a top priority for PeriOperative departments across the country. Regulatory requirements designed to protect patients continue to evolve and expand with the growth of tissue usage and advances in surgical life-saving and life-enhancing procedures. Approximately 1.75 million people are currently receiving tissue implants annually just

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FDA Clears Pentax Duodenoscope With Disposable Cap To Advance Safety

Infection Control, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared the first duodenoscope with a disposable distal cap.  It is believed that the new feature will improve access for cleaning and reprocessing of duodenoscopes, leading to improved patient safety.  The Pentax model ED34-i10T duodenoscope is being released following a field correction issued earlier in 2017

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Are Public Inspection Reports Coming?

Hospital Management, Infection Control, Joint Commission, Managing Endoscopes, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

Following the Wall Street Journal article that questioned the validity of The Joint Commission’s accreditation practices, the government has stepped up inquiries into the hospital accreditation process. The Joint Commission, as the largest accreditation agency, is now under increased scrutiny and hospitals may be exposed as a result. Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) has sent a

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Insights From a Scope Pro – Jhmeid Billingslea

Managing Endoscopes, Operating Rooms, Patient Safety, Regulatory Compliance /

This is part of a series of interviews being held with professionals who have deep expertise in the requirements and protocols around endoscope reprocessing in hospitals.  The goal is to learn about and educate on existing and emerging best practices in endoscope reprocessing.  I had a chance to sit down with Jhmeid Billingslea, the Director

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