The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is asking dentists, physicians and other health care professionals to "lend a hand" in enhancing its 2004 patient safety goals by complying with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest hand hygiene guidelines.
The addition of a seventh patient safety goal will require health care providers to reduce the risk of health care–acquired infections by complying with current CDC hand hygiene guidelines. These guidelines note that using gloves in a health care setting reduces hand- and cross-contamination by between 70 and 80 percent. Health care providers should use regular hand-washing methods that include soap and water, plus a fast-acting, alcohol-based hand rub. The CDC’s guidelines for hand hygiene can be found at "www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/".
The new goal also directs health care providers to report all identified cases of unanticipated death or major permanent loss of function associated with a health care–acquired infection as a sentinel event. A sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical (including loss of limb or function) or psychological injury, or the risk of such an occurrence.
The six national patient safety goals launched in January will continue to be used, and the goal that addresses communication will be expanded to include reading back of critical test results that are spoken.
An expert panel of doctors, nurses and patient safety leaders developed the safety goals. Health care providers will be required to meet the 2004 Patient Safety Goals beginning Jan. 1, 2004.
For more information or a complete listing of the goals and requirements and frequently asked questions, visit "www.jcaho.org".
