News Brief

Chicago Tribune

“The Joint Commission, the powerful accreditor of U.S. hospitals, issued a warning that rude language and hostile behavior by health care workers could threaten a facility’s good standing if not addressed.

“The accreditor, which is based in west suburban Oakbrook Terrace, is empowered by Congress to ensure the quality and safety of hospitals. Joint Commission accreditation is crucial to the financial health of a hospital because it allows facilities to treat federally subsidized Medicare patients.

“Effective Jan. 1, 2009, new standards implemented by the Joint Commission require hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, laboratories, ambulatory care facilities and behavioral health facilities accredited by the nonprofit group to create a code of conduct that “defines acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and to establish a formal process for managing unacceptable behavior.”

“Verbal outbursts, condescending attitudes, refusing to take part in assigned duties and physical threats all create breakdowns in the teamwork, communication and collaboration necessary to deliver patient care,” the Joint Commission said in a statement. (Emphasis added)

“But much of such behavior goes unreported, the Joint Commission said, citing statistics from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices that found 40 percent of clinicians “have kept quiet or remained passive during patient care events rather than question a known intimidator.”

“Beginning next year, the Joint Commission would put rude language and hostile behavior on its list of things that could lead to so-called “sentinel events,” incidents that could lead to death or serious injury and therefore should be reported to the organization. Other sentinel events include: accidental limb removal; a doctor or nurse providing a patient with the wrong medication or a patient acquiring an infection while in the hospital.” (Emphasis added)

Source: Chicago Tribune, July 9, 2008