In the News This Month
Greetings Everyone.
This month’s articles highlight two areas we feel are important to spotlight as they are trending topics in regulatory compliance and patient care.
Surgical smoke is an important concern when it comes to safety for patients and staff in the operating room. AORN, The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses is leading efforts to establish smoke evacuation management laws across the country. Senior Consultant, Denise Smith’s feature, “Surgical Smoke – Is Your Operating Room Safe for Your Staff and Patients?” speaks to the hazards of surgical smoke, outlines the regulations that are in place currently, and provides tips to incorporate policies and procedures to keep the environment and staff safe.
Our second article, part 1 of a 2-part series, “Are You Assessing Your Organization for Healthcare Equity Practice”, authored by Chris Pratt, Senior Consultant & Accredited Provider Program Director, reminds healthcare leaders and staff of the new standards The Joint Commission established in January of 2023 regarding Healthcare equity and the organization’s responsibilities in identifying and addressing areas of care where disparities may exist. He provides strategies to assess your current program’s status with helpful information to ensure your organization’s program is fully implementing the requirements.
Thank you for taking the time to read our articles. We hope this information is helpful in assisting you with accreditation and regulatory compliance needs. If you have any suggestions for future topics or require our services, please reach out to us at info@courtemanche-assocs.com. Our team is always available and eager to assist you in any way we can.
Surgical Smoke – Is Your Operating Room Safe For Your Staff and Patients?
The Author
Denise Smith, RN, BS, MS, CLNC, HACP-CMS
Denise Smith is Head of Consulting & a Senior Consultant with Courtemanche & Associates. In this role she is responsible for assessing healthcare organizational readiness for licensing, certification, accreditation, and regulatory compliance. She has extensive knowledge in the requirements of The Joint Commission, DNV, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services including knowledge in their survey process, auditing approach and survey outcome determination. She also has knowledge and experience in AAAHC and other regulatory and accreditation organizations. She assists organizations with survey preparation, educational needs, post survey activities, patient safety strategies and quality improvement initiatives. Denise has more than 40 years of experience and expertise in Infection Prevention, Sterile Processing, Legal Nurse Consulting, Quality and Resource Management, Clinical Education, in acute inpatient and outpatient care settings.
Are You Assessing Your Organization for Healthcare Equity Practice?
The Author
Christopher Pratt, MS, BSN, HACP
Chris Pratt is a Senior Consultant with Courtemanche and Associates with more than 33 years in clinical and leadership experience working in varying healthcare positions from the bedside to the Boardroom. In this role, he is responsible for assessing healthcare organizations’ readiness for licensing, accreditation, and regulatory compliance. He is trained in the survey process, auditing approach and survey outcome determination utilized by The Joint Commission, DNV, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and other regulatory agencies and accrediting organizations. He assists organizations with post-survey activities, education, patient safety strategies, and quality improvement initiatives and has experience in various health care settings including acute care, behavioral health, and ambulatory care settings.
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The Joint Commission® is a registered trademark of Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Courtemanche & Associates has no affiliation with this entity.
