Greedy Trial Lawyer
To Forgive Is Divine - Hospitals Allowed To Have More Care Deficiencies
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One would think that hospital regulators and accreditaion associations would be tightening up on patient care standards. But, leniency and forgiveness seem to be in vogue these days.
Hospitals Now Can Have More Patient Care Violations, Other Deficiencies Before Being Sanctioned By JCAHOThe Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is defending a decision last month to raise the number of allowable deficiencies a hospital can receive before being punished, as lawmakers and others say the change could decrease quality of care, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Reaction
Critics, including several lawmakers, have said the change is a "step back," adding that JCAHO seems "more eager to please hospitals than protect patients," the Times reports. Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) said, "I don't know how far below zero they intend to go. They're not doing the job of making sure that hospitals are delivering quality, safe care." Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said the changes were "puzzling," adding, "Government investigators already have documented that the Joint Commission misses too many serious problems and rarely drops any hospital's accreditation. This move to weaken standards seems to be going in the opposite direction of what makes sense for quality of care."
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