The Joint Commission is updating pain assessment and management standards for accredited ambulatory care facilities, office-based surgery organizations and critical access hospitals.
Here's what you should know:
1. The new and revised standards cover safe opioid prescribing. They are designed to strengthen organizations' pain assessment, treatment, education and monitoring practices.
2. The revisions will go into effect Jan. 1, 2019.
3. The pain assessment and management requirements are now included in the following chapters:
- Leadership (LD.04.03.13)
- Provision of Care, Treatment and Services (PC.01.02.07)
- Performance Improvement (PI.01.01.01; PI.02.01.01)
- Medical Staff (MS.05.01.01, applicable to critical access hospitals only)
4. The Joint Commission will post an applicability grid on the prepublication web page by late July.
5. The Joint Commission formed its new guidance to address "gaps in the evidence on optimal pain management and a continuing opioid crisis."
6. Details on the requirements can be found here.