First in the nation....to survive JCAHO's unannounced Homecare Survey

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Received a phone call at 8:30AM last tuesday the JCAHO had walked in the door. Didn't help that I just gotten to sleep at 4AM as family member hospitalized, but in true home care fashion you roll with the punches.

In our management meetings, we were informed that JCAHO usually in training first 2 weeks of year so could expect them starting third week.

WRONG INFO!

Thankfully, our QI Director had started in September gearing up and collecting info for 2006 Standards. She started a book to document how agency meet each standards, which policy and procedure's applied etc.

All managers in-serviced in 2006 National Patient Safety Goals which I was going to present to staff on Wednesday staff meeting. Quickly passed out material.

We had notified JCAHO that we had one agency just merge with us on 1/1/06 and another branch was moving approx. Jan 25th. Were these red flags to see if prepared year round as you should be? Never really know.

Under tracer methodology, patients were selected, chart review done, and patient visited. My department Intake wasn't interviewed but info that was on referral was matched to see if on 485 plan of care, OASIS and clinical info. Chart and patient interview was then reviewed in light of agencies policies and procedures. This is what you are jugged against.

If your policy says patients are to have written med list left in the home, it better be there (1 missing). You know how often they loose you agency booklet between visits!

If policy states patient should be educated in medications: patient nor spouse can recall side effect of coumadin nor precautions while on med and unable to produce teaching material :uhoh21:, despite chart documented that teaching occurred --dinged.

Policy states all meds to be reviewed including over the counter and listed on plan of care--- 1 patient tells surveyor about OTC meds not on 485, another has RX nasal spray not on med list ---dinged!

Otherwise we survived flooding toilet at agency we just took over---while surveyor visiting. :imbar Got to show our disaster plan just not on paper but in action!

Outcome meeting: Surveyor commented we provided excellent care, 2 areas for corrective action plan re above issues.

:balloons: Pizza Party given at all branches yesterday as thanks to staff for all the help and great care overall.

[nursesearl, BSN, RN]

Wow, sounds like you guys did a great job! Can I come work for you? Lynn

[happthearts]

Received a phone call at 8:30AM last tuesday the JCAHO had walked in the door. Didn't help that I just gotten to sleep at 4AM as family member hospitalized, but in true home care fashion you roll with the punches.

In our management meetings, we were informed that JCAHO usually in training first 2 weeks of year so could expect them starting third week.

WRONG INFO!

Thankfully, our QI Director had started in September gearing up and collecting info for 2006 Standards. She started a book to document how agency meet each standards, which policy and procedure's applied etc.

All managers in-serviced in 2006 National Patient Safety Goals which I was going to present to staff on Wednesday staff meeting. Quickly passed out material.

We had notified JCAHO that we had one agency just merge with us on 1/1/06 and another branch was moving approx. Jan 25th. Were these red flags to see if prepared year round as you should be? Never really know.

Under tracer methodology, patients were selected, chart review done, and patient visited. My department Intake wasn't interviewed but info that was on referral was matched to see if on 485 plan of care, OASIS and clinical info. Chart and patient interview was then reviewed in light of agencies policies and procedures. This is what you are jugged against.

If your policy says patients are to have written med list left in the home, it better be there (1 missing). You know how often they loose you agency booklet between visits!

If policy states patient should be educated in medications: patient nor spouse can recall side effect of coumadin nor precautions while on med and unable to produce teaching material :uhoh21:, despite chart documented that teaching occurred --dinged.

Policy states all meds to be reviewed including over the counter and listed on plan of care--- 1 patient tells surveyor about OTC meds not on 485, another has RX nasal spray not on med list ---dinged!

Otherwise we survived flooding toilet at agency we just took over---while surveyor visiting. :imbar Got to show our disaster plan just not on paper but in action!

Outcome meeting: Surveyor commented we provided excellent care, 2 areas for corrective action plan re above issues.

:balloons: Pizza Party given at all branches yesterday as thanks to staff for all the help and great care overall.

Karen I am impressed !:chuckle Even as a non medicail we have to have the list of med's in the chart even though we do no meds .We pretty much follow every thing that happens in Regular home health . Weve had no problems this year except disaster plan. But before state was done we had one in place before the ladies left our office they took 3 days . Couldn't find a thing wrong.

Happy