By Dan Hounsell

The mission of healthcare facilities is to provide treatment to patients with the goal of returning them to health, but the task of providing that treatment in healthcare facilities inevitably presents risks for the safety of both patients and staff.

The Joint Commission has collected data on compliance with safety standards, National Patient Safety Goals, and Accreditation and Certification Participation Requirements to identify trends surrounding challenging requirements, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.

The Joint Commission identified the top five requirements most frequently found to be out of compliance in hospitals during surveys and reviews from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020. Among the most challenging requirements related to facilities in 2020:

• reducing the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices and supplies
• implementing infection prevention and control plans
• managing risks associated with utility systems