Joint Commission News Releases

Knowing the early signs and risk factors for stroke and understanding that a stroke is a "brain attack" requiring immediate action can significantly improve a patient’s recovery and prevent future strokes, according to The Joint Commission's new Speak Up: "What You Should Know About Stroke" educational campaign.

The 2012 Emergency Preparedness Conference, April 11-12, will supply attendees with a portfolio of emergency management strategies using real life lessons taken from specific events, like the Joplin, Missouri tornado, and effective tools that can be implemented upon return to their organizations. The four phases of emergency management and the theme of this year’s conference, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery woven together, provide a blanket of resilience.

The link between health care worker fatigue and adverse events is well documented, prompting The Joint Commission to issue a new Sentinel Event Alert: Health care worker fatigue and patient safety. The Alert urges greater attention to preventing fatigue among health care workers and suggests specific actions for health care organizations to mitigate the risks.

The Joint Commission today announced the appointment of George Mills as director of the newly formed Department of Engineering. The new department will bring together the organization’s experts in engineering and related disciplines.

A new field guide from The Joint Commission urges U.S. hospitals to create a more welcoming, safe and inclusive environment that contributes to improved health care quality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients and their families.

The Joint Commission and SGS Group are joining forces to offer hospitals and critical access hospitals in the United States the option of pursuing both accreditation and certification to various ISO and industry best practice standards beginning in early 2012.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has again granted The Joint Commission deeming authority for the accreditation of critical access hospitals.