Joint Commission Behavioral Health Update
May 2017
In This Issue:

Greetings to Our Colleagues in Behavioral Healthcare!
We hope that Spring has reached your region of the country and that the sunny days of Summer are not far behind!
 
This month, we are providing information on the Top Ten compliance data for psychiatric hospitals under the new SAFER methodology. This is important data to analyze as part of your continuous readiness program.

Our second article provides an update on survey findings related to fire drills and exit signs - two issues cropping up on recent TJC surveys.

We value your feedback on the newsletter. Please send us your comments and tell us what topics you would like to see in future issues. We look forward to hearing from you! Also, feel free to to your colleagues.

Anne Barrins
President/CEO
Expecting a TJC Deemed Status Survey in 2018?
Our mock survey for psychiatric hospitals covers both the TJC and CMS requirements including the most currently challenging standards. It's your best survey preparation. Contact us now to schedule your mock survey.
1-877-546-7206
Tip of the Month
Several requirements will be deleted from the BH standards effective 7/1/17. For a full listing, check out the May issue of TJC Perspectives.
Why Choose
Barrins & Associates?

"Our Barrins & Associates consultant had great insight into what TJC surveyors are focusing on and how we should prepare for that. Our mock survey was challenging and undeniably prepared us not only for the TJC survey but also a refinement of our current processes. I am very grateful."

Brian Kovacs 
Senior Director of Operations Bancroft Rehabilitation Services Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Top Ten Compliance Issues on the SAFER Matrix
For Psychiatric Hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals that use TJC accreditation for CMS deemed status were the first organizations to experience the SAFER (Survey Analysis for Evaluating Risk) methodology starting in June 2016. TJC recently published six months of compliance data for these hospitals. Many of the Top Ten issues remain the same but it's interesting to see how they play out on the SAFER matrix. Here's some highlights from the TJC data and our own database.
Exit Signs and Fire Drills
Environment of Care Updates
TJC began surveying to the 2012 edition of the National Fire Protection Life Safety Code in November 2016. Resulting changes to the Environment of Care and Life Safety standards went into effect January 2017. One of the changes that went into effect for both the Hospital and Behavioral Health programs is a new requirement for inspection of Exit signs. We are now seeing this issue arising on surveys so let's clarify the requirement.
NEW CLIENTS
Barrins & Associates welcome three new clients:  The Discovery House in in Los Angeles, Horsham Clinic in the Philadelphia area, and  Wellbridge Hospital of Plano  in Plano, Texas.  We are pleased to be working with these organizations on regulatory and accreditation compliance. 
Congratulations corner!
Congratulations to our clients, Oakwood Springs Hospital and Sober College, who recently achieved initial Joint Commission accreditation.
Barrins & Associates provides Joint Commission and CMS consulting services for the Behavioral Healthcare industry. Our clients include psychiatric hospitals and freestanding Behavioral Healthcare organizations. We specialize in providing Survey Preparation and Continuous Survey Readiness services for the Behavioral Healthcare industry. Barrins & Associates was founded by Anne Barrins who was a Joint Commission surveyor for 13 years.