The Joint Commission is revising the requirements in National Patient Safety Goal 03.05.01, Reducing Harm from Anticoagulant Therapy.
Here's what you should know:
1. The proposed requirements will cover new direct oral anticoagulant medication use. They will address drug selection, dosing and monitoring, bleeding reversal, perioperative management and adverse drug events.
2. The NPSG will apply to accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, ambulatory health care organizations (including ASCs), nursing care centers, home health organizations and office-based surgery organizations.
3. The Joint Commission is fielding a survey to facilities in those categories. Comments will be gathered through July 31.
4. The Joint Commission's proposal includes the following provisions:
- When initiating and maintaining anticoagulant therapy, use approved protocols and evidence-based practice guidelines that address medication selection, dosing, drug–drug interactions and other risk factors as applicable.
- Use approved protocols and guidelines to reverse anticoagulation and manage bleeding events related to each anticoagulant medication.
- Use evidence-based resources and guidelines to manage potential drug to drug and drug to food interactions for patients being administered oral anticoagulants.
5. The full document on the proposed requirements for NPSG 03.05.01 can be found here.
