Consumer Awareness tips for JHACO HOSPITAL INSPECTIONS..

Consumer Awareness tips for JHACO HOSPITAL INSPECTIONS.. www.hawaiifiredoors.com 808-943-1425 One of the jobs of the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JHACO) is to audit hospitals throughout the United States to ensure they are in compliance. One of their concerns is how narcotics, pharmaceuticals, "sharps" (needles/scalpels), etc., are secured in rooms, refrigerators, carts or cabinets. However, JHACO does not specify how to secure the containers of these compounds. For example, under Security of Medication, effective August 3, 2005, under the Frequently Asked Questions web page of the JHACO web site, the following two questions are answered and I quote: "Q: How does Joint Commission define "secure" in relation to medication stored in the pharmacy, patient units, operating rooms, and crash carts? A: Stock medications stored in the Pharmacy and in patient care areas must be either locked or under constant surveillance. The same holds true for the operating room including anesthesia carts - when an anesthesia cart is unattended and not under constant surveillance, it must be locked or stored in a locked room. The same requirement applies to floor medication carts and crash carts and any prepackaged surgical or treatment packs that may contain medication." Under Bedside Medications, also effective August 3, 2005, "Q: Can medications for patient self-administration be stored at the patient's bedside? A: Yes, but only if the medication is stored under lock and key or secured in a way to assure that the patient and authorized staff can access the medication but others cannot." JHACO may not specify how to secure; however, the group has teeth. A hospital can be cited for not locking up or for not having access control. No one other than an authorized individual should have access to a narcotics cabinet. If the facility does not resolve a situation in a timely fashion, it could lose accreditation or even federal funding. Please contact us for Compliance codes or issues and Inspections! www.hawaiifiredoors.com 808-943-1425