• Article of the Month
  
  • Performance Measurement Leads the Way to High Reliability[®] The Source, July 2014, Vol 12, #7, Pg 14 [Recommended for: GB, JCSC, PI, LDR] – Would you like to be better prepared to discuss one of the hot topics TJC surveyors are raising during Leadership Interviews?  Could your leadership team define High Reliability?  Would they know its three critical factors? Do they need to become familiar with the term DMAIC? Should they know what Six Sigma means?  Do they know what an accountability measure is or why it might be important to  high reliability? Would your hospital actually want to become a High Reliability Organization?  If any of these questions grab your attention, this is the article to read in July.  It is an excellent short review of High Reliability that does a nice job of tying in concepts such as Robust Process Improvement, Lean Six Sigma and accountability measures.  It will also give your leadership group a more solid foundation for facing the new focus in leadership interviews.
    
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**RECOMMENDED READING:

1. PR:  Revised Hospital… Requirements to Align with CMS Ftxt   [REF:HR, IC, JCSC, MD, PtAd, RN, SFT, SW, 2014]
2. PR:  Upcoming Changes to the Decision Report Ftxt   [REF:JCSC, LDR, 2014]
3. PR:  REVISED: “Human Resources” Chapter for BHC Ftxt   [REF: BHC-HR, 2015]
4. TS:  Tracer: Medication Storage in Hospitals Ftxt   [REF: Phrm, P&T, PI, SFT]
5. TS:  Performance Measurement… to High Reliability Ftxt  [REF: GB, JCSC, PI, LDR]
   
6. EC: Test Your Standards IQ Ftxt   [REF: EOC, CJCP, SFT]
7. EC:  Hospital gloves… how to keep health care workers safe Ftxt   [REF: IC, RN, SFT]
8. EC:  Modifications to… PFIs and equivalencies effective 7/1/14 Ftxt   [REF: EOC, 2015]

**USEFUL LINKS & DOWNLOADS:

• TJC: 2014 Survey Activity Guide 7/1/14
  
• Ftxt: Revised Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Requirements to Align with CMS  7/3/14
  
• Ftxt: Standards Revisions and Clarifications Related to Medical Equipment and Utility System Maintenance  7/1/14
  
• Ftxt: Facts about the Official “Do Not Use” List of Abbreviations  6/27/14
  
• Ftxt: Revised Opioid Treatment Program Requirements for Behavioral Health Care  6/3/14
  
• Ftxt: Revised: “Human Resources” Chapter for Behavioral Health Care  7/3/14
• SEA 52: Preventing infection from the misuse of vials 6/16/14
• CMS: Survey and Cert Letter 14-31_Provision of Electronic Health Record (EHR) “Navigators” during Hospital and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Surveys 5/16/14
• Latest TJC Blogs: Physician Leader Monthly – Leadership Blog
  

**SupporTips

• S-Tip#19: Key Definitions (Key Def) – Sometimes the easiest and most crucial step toward improving compliance is simply to better understand what is meant by the various terms and concepts being used in standards language. The manual glossary is helpful, but not complete.  Not infrequently, the best explanation of a term is found in the more in-depth writings of TJC’s periodicals. When the meaning of a word, phrase or concept seems important to successful compliance, we call that a Key Definition (Key Def). As you read our reviews, pay attention to the Key Defs provided within the articles.  Also know that for reasons of space a Key Def may also be placed in the comments section of the article to which it is relevant. Definitions are key to understanding and understanding is critical to improvement. Please SHARE any key definitions you find useful as well.