QUESTION:
Are Joint Commission accredited hospitals required to have antimicrobial stewardship programs?
ANSWER:
Yes. Under the new Medication Management standard MM.09.01.01, hospitals are required to have an antimicrobial stewardship program. This standard is effective as of January 1, 2017.
The Joint Commission requires that a hospital’s antimicrobial stewardship program:
- Is developed by a multidisciplinary team
- Has a single leader responsible for the program’s outcomes
- Appoints single pharmacist as the leader who is responsible or working to improve antibiotic use
- Is based on current scientific literature
- Is built around the core elements indentified in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs
- Includes education programs for staff that address antimicrobial ordering, dispensing, administration, and monitoring
- Includes education programs for families about the appropriate use of antimicrobial medications, including antibiotics
- Is monitored, analyzed and findings reported to clinicians; performance improvement opportunities are identified and implemented
- Uses organization-approved multidisciplinary policies and procedures/protocols
Related Products from MCN Healthcare:
Pharmacy and Medication Management Manual
MCN HEALTHCARE
Regulatory Compliance Solutions for Healthcare Organizations,
Including Policy Management Software, Policy Library Templates,
StayAlert! – Regulatory Alert System, and Learning Management System