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Practice Administrator Tim Lynch is pitching in to make sure his co-workers and colleagues in Neurology and Neurosurgery are prepared for the upcoming, unannounced visit from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). That’s his role as one of 30 members of the Ever Ready Team.
“This team ultimately will ensure everyone at BWH is ready for a JCAHO survey, but we plan to make the preparation fun and interactive,” Lynch said.
The team represents a variety of departments?—?inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory and primary care?—?to provide information and ensure everyone understands the need for continual readiness now that the JCAHO conducts its accreditation surveys on an unannounced basis. Team members will meet regularly and communicate preparedness strategies to their respective departments.
BWH completed its most recent triennial survey in 2004 following an intense, five-day site visit when JCAHO surveyors followed patients through their care, treatment and services using the new tracer system. BWH’s next five-day JCAHO survey will be unannounced sometime in 2007. In addition, the JCAHO may send a surveyor for an unannounced one-day visit any time between now and the end of December.
“The Ever Ready Team is there to support staff and act as a resource, providing the tools necessary to prepare for the next JCAHO survey,” Debra Polansky, coordinator of Clinical Compliance, said. “We want to ensure readiness becomes engrained in the day-to-day operations of every department.”
As one means of preparation and maintaining organizational continual readiness, the Ever Ready Team plans to perform practice patient tracers throughout the hospital, during which team members will act as JCAHO surveyors.
“We are optimistic this process will run smoothly,” Gail Morrissey, manager of Clinical Compliance, said. “It will reinforce the excellent patient care already in practice at BWH.”