JCAHO focuses on diverse patient populations
Revisions to IM.6.20 take effect Jan. 1, 2006
As of Jan. 1, 2006, revisions made to the Joint Commission’s information management standard IM.6.20 will require hospitals to collect information on the language and communication needs of patients. Each medical record will need to contain the patient’s language and communication needs, in addition to the patient’s name, gender, address, date of birth, and authorized representative, if any.
The JCAHO changes reflect the reality of what is occurring at many hospitals as the patient population shifts to include ever-increasing ethnic and cultural diversity, says Frederick P. Meyerhoefer, MD, a Canton, OH-based consultant specializing in JCAHO and regulatory compliance.
"Effective communication is a critical component of quality patient care," he adds. "The concern is the challenge of providing quality and safe patient care when communication with the patient is impaired by language or cultural issues."
To comply with the new requirement, organizations will have to ensure that real-time interpreter services are available, with the ability to communicate using the medical terminology that the patient and family will require. "Staff will need to be more sensitive for the need for language services. The challenge will be finding these interpreters," Meyerhoefer notes.
An in-depth educational program for staff will have to be developed, with the goal of increasing their knowledge of the unique needs of the cultural and ethnic populations in the community served, he points out.
"Health care workers must be taught not to underestimate the patient or the patient’s family because of difficulties with language or ethnic barriers," Meyerhoefer explains. "For quality staff, this will become another aspect of their chart audit activities to assure comprehensive documentation and use of the needed services to meet this requirement."
[For more information, contact:
• Frederick P. Meyerhoefer, MD, 1261 White Stone Circle N.E., Canton, OH 44721. Phone: (330) 966-6717. E-mail: [email protected].]
As of Jan. 1, 2006, revisions made to the Joint Commissions information management standard IM.6.20 will require hospitals to collect information on the language and communication needs of patients.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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