Joint Commission Behavioral Health Update
January 2015
In This Issue:

Greetings to Our Colleagues in Behavioral Healthcare!
 

With the New Year, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new website and a new format for our monthly newsletter. The website has a fresh new look and user-friendly navigation. Check it out at barrins-assoc.com and let us know what you think. The newsletter also has an updated look and is more interactive, allowing readers to select which articles are most relevant to them.

 

In this month's newsletter, we provide important information for psychiatric hospitals on some new requirements that go into effect February 1, 2015. We are also providing an update on TJC's new Sentinel Event Policy and the implications for your organization.

 

We value your feedback on the newsletter. Please email us your comments and tell us what topics you would like to see in future issues.  We look forward to hearing from you!  Also, feel free to forward this newsletter to your colleagues.

 

Best regards for a happy, healthy, and fulfilling New Year!

 

Anne Barrins

abarrins@barrins-assoc.com

Expecting a TJC survey in 2015?
 

Contact us now to arrange for a mock survey. It's the best way to ensure your team is prepared and confident when the surveyors arrive!

 

877-546-7206
Welcome!
Barrins & Associates is pleased to welcome two new clients that are part of the Springstone system of behavioral hospitals. Carrollton Springs and Sycamore Springs.
CONGRATULATIONS
CORNER

This month we extend hearty Congratulations to three clients who recently achieved the gold standard of Joint Commission accreditation: Westpark Springs Hospital in Richmond, Texas, ChildNet Youth & Family Services in Long Beach, Calif., and Sierra Vista Child & Family Services is based in Modesto, Calif.
Why Choose
Barrins & Associates?
"Barrins & Associates has worked with us since 2004 on TJC readiness and we are extremely satisfied customers! We continuously recommend them."  

William Martone, President/CEO, Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services
Nurse counseling patients
REVISED REQUIREMENTS

Effective February 1, 2015, revised requirements go into effect for psychiatric hospitals that use Joint Commission accreditation for deemed status. TJC added one new requirement and revised nine elements of performance in order to ensure alignment with the CMS Conditions of Participation. View the entire summary of these requirements ...
Sentinel Events
UPDATE ON TJC'S APPROACH
Be aware that TJC has revised its Sentinel Event Policy and the Sentinel Event chapter in both the Hospital and Behavioral Health manuals. The revisions were effective January 1, 2015. While the essential components of the Sentinel Event Policy have not changed, there are some new terms and definitions that are important. Learn about TJC's new and updated definitions and what your organization needs to do to be in compliance ...
TIP OF THE MONTH
The new Behavioral Health Human Resources Management standards went into effect January 1. For useful tips and resources, check out the new Standards BoosterPak for Credentialing and Privileging in Non-Hospital Settings. It's available (to accredited organizations) on your TJC Connect site under Resources and Tools.
Barrins & Associates provides Joint Commission and CMS consulting services for the Behavioral Healthcare industry. Our clients include psychiatric hospitals and freestanding Behavioral Healthcare organizations. We specialize in providing Survey Preparation and Continuous Survey Readiness services for the Behavioral Healthcare industry. Barrins & Associates was founded by Anne Barrins who was a Joint Commission surveyor for 13 years.

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