By Healthcare Facilities Today

The Joint Commission has announced its 2014 National Patient Safety Goals, including a new goal on focused on safe clinical alarm management for hospitals.

The new patient safety goal will be gradually implemented over two phases, according to an article on the Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control website.

The first phase began on Jan. 1, 2014, and calls for hospitals to establish alarm safety as an organizational priority and identify the alarms most important for their organization, the article said

The second phase will begin on Jan. 1, 2016 and expects hospitals to develop and implement alarm safety policies and procedures.

The Joint Commission also names other pre-existing Patient Safety Goals, including patient communication, medication safety, reducing patient falls, healthcare-associated infections and risk assessments.

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