The Joint Commission revised its medication management standards for all ASCs, behavioral health, critical access hospitals, home care, hospital, nursing care centers and office-based surgical practices.
The new standards will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2018.
The Joint Commission reviewed all proposed revisions and decided on the following for ASCs:
1. Implement a policy to provide backup essential medication dispensing equipment in case of emergency.
2. Implement an emergency backup policy for essential medication refrigeration identified by the critical access hospital.
3. Manage hazardous medications in behavioral healthcare settings.
4. Address "wasting" of medication in written policy concerning the control of medication between delivery and administration.
5. Implement a policy on medication overrides and review the appropriateness and frequency of automatic dispensing cabinet use.
6. Record the date and time medication is administered.
For more information on what has changed for other healthcare organizations, click here.