JCAHO - Alliance Annual Report - August 29, 2007

ALLIANCE ANNUAL REPORT
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
and
The Joint Commission
and
Joint Commission Resources (JCR)
August 29, 2007

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    July 27, 2004

    Date Renewed

    November 8, 2006

    Overview

    The OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance focuses on providing health care workers and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to biological and airborne hazards in health care and addressing emergency preparedness, ergonomics, and workplace violence issues.

    Implementation Team Members

    OSHA:

    Sandra Khan
    Office of Outreach Services and Alliances (OOSA)
    Darla Royal
    Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine (DSTM)
    Don Wright
    DSTM

    The Joint Commission:

    Char Hill
    Special Assistant

    JCR:

    Cathy Hinckley
    Executive Director, Publications
    Karen Jay
    Special Assistant to the CEO-JCR
    Gina LaMantia
    Program Manager, Department of Education
    Chuck MacFarlane
    Vice-President, Learning
    Kristine Miller
    Senior Editor, Publications
    Pam Steinbach
    Interim Executive Director of Education, Conference Coordinator

    Evaluation Period

    July 27, 2006 - July 26, 2007

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    October 12, 2006
    Meeting, OSHA, Washington, DC
    November 2, 2006
    Environment of Care® News Conference Call
    December 20, 2006
    Hospital eTool Conference Call
    March 6, 2007
    Hospital eTool Conference Call
    April 25, 2007
    Conference Meeting, OSHA, Washington, DC

    In addition to these formal meetings, the Alliance Implementation Team members from both groups maintained regular contact throughout the reporting period to monitor the Alliance's progress and results.

  3. Results

    1. Events and Products

      Training and Education

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise to develop training and education programs targeted to health care workers on topics including emergency preparedness, biological and airborne hazards, ergonomics and workplace violence.
       

      Products

      Environment of Care® News

      Through the Alliance OSHA and JCAHO/JCR are jointly writing an "OSHA & Worker Safety" column in the JCR newsletter, Environment of Care® News, about health care worker safety and health. The June 2007 edition included the article, "OSHA and Worker Safety: Decreasing Slips, Trips, and Falls: NIOSH Study Helps Health Care Organizations Improve Worker Safety," co-authored by Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, DSTM, USDOL-OSHA. The July 2007 edition included the article, "OSHA & Worker Safety: Pandemic Flu Preparedness: OSHA Guidelines Provide Direction on Protecting Patients, Workers," co-authored by Kay Dellinger and John Piacentino, Medical Officers, Office of Occupational Medicine, DSTM, USDOL-OSHA. Dr. Wright continues to serve on the Environment of Care® News' editorial board.

      Outreach and Communication

      • Work with OSHA to provide expertise in developing information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to provide expertise in developing ways of communicating such information (e.g. print and electronic media, electronic assistance tools and OSHA's and JCAHO/JCR's Web sites) to employers and employees in the industry.

      Products

      OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance Web page

      The OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site continues to be updated on a regular basis. The page includes links to the Alliance agreement and related documents, activities and events, and milestones and successes.

      Publications and News Releases

      Information and news releases on the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance and the activities of the Alliance have appeared in a number of print and online publications, including: BNA's Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, Environment of Care® News, and OSHA's QuickTakes eNewsletter the Agency's news release. For more information on the articles, see the "Alliance Program Reach" table.

      • Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA's or The Joint Commission/JCR conferences, local meetings, or other jointly-sponsored events.

      Events

      2nd Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference: Disaster Readiness on the Home Front, October 19-20, 2006, Washington, DC

      Through the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance, the organizations worked with the American Red Cross, another Alliance Program participant, to develop the program for the 2nd Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference: Disaster Readiness on the Home Front, October 19-20, 2006 in Washington, DC. The conference examined the threat of pandemic flu and natural disasters and discussed effective planning strategies and available tools and techniques to maintain preparedness and readiness status. More than 750 emergency management and healthcare employers and employees attended the conference.

      During the conference a number of OSHA staff members gave presentations and staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth:

        • On October 19, 2006: Edwin J. Foulke, Jr., Assistant Secretary, USDOL-OSHA, gave opening remarks and an OSHA update.
        • On October 19, 2006: Thomas Galassi, Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement Programs, USDOL-OSHA, gave a presentation, "OSHA/JCAHO Emergency Management Standards," to 135 attendees.
        • On October 20, 2006: John Piacentino, then Medical Officer, Office of Occupational Medicine, Biological Specialized Response Team, DSTM, USDOL-OSHA gave a presentation, "Pandemic Flu: Pandemic preparedness and Response-guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare employees," to 175 attendees.
        • Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, DSTM, USDOL-OSHA, was the conference moderator.
        • OSHA representatives staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth and distributed agency compliance assistance publications and the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance Activities Summary sheet during the conference.
      • Share information among OSHA personnel and industry safety and health professionals regarding The Joint Commission/JCR best practices or effective approaches and publicize results through outreach by JCAHO/JCR and through OSHA or JCAHO/JCR developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

      Products

      Total Health and Safety for Healthcare Facilities: Catalyzing Improvements in Employee Safety, Patient Care, and the Bottom Line

      Through the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance, OSHA's Office of Occupational Medicine reviewed and provided comments on the JCR and the American Hospital Association book, Total Health and Safety for Healthcare Facilities: Catalyzing Improvements in Employee Safety, Patient Care, and the Bottom Line.

      • Work with other Alliance participants on specific issues and projects related to health care worker safety that are addressed and developed through the Alliance Program.

      OSHA's Hospital eTool

      Through the Alliance, The Joint Commission/JCR representatives are working with other Alliance Program participants to provide input and expertise to OSHA to update the agency's Hospital eTool modules including ergonomics, bloodborne pathogens, and laser hazards. In addition to The Joint Commission/JCR, the other Alliance Program participants involved on the project are the Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN), American Biological Safety Association (ABSA), Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), Laser Institute of American (LIA), Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMA), and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN).

      The representatives from The Joint Commission/JCR who are participating on the agency's update of its Hospital eTool are:

        • Charles MacFarlane, Vice President, Learning, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
        • Kristine Miller, Senior Editor, Publications, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois

      • Promote and encourage participation in OSHA's cooperative programs such as compliance assistance and the Voluntary Protection Programs when The Joint Commission/JCR representatives work with healthcare institutions.

        During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

      Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

      • Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on health care worker safety related issues to help forge innovative solutions in the workplace or to provide input on safety and health issues.

        During this evaluation period, no products or activities have been developed to meet this Alliance goal.

    2. Executive Summary

      During the 2006-2007 reporting period, the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance implementation team worked on an Alliance renewal agreement to extend the Alliance for two years. The renewal was signed on November 8, 2006. The organizations will continue to work together to update and develop new resources related to reducing and preventing exposure to biological and airborne hazards in healthcare and address emergency preparedness and workplace violence. For example, the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Web page on OSHA's Web site provides links to the Alliance agreement, related documents, activities and events, and milestones and successes.

      In addition, OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR shared information with safety and health professionals, emergency preparedness planners and healthcare employers and employees at the Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference, October 19-20, 2006 in Washington, DC. On October 19, 2006: Edwin J. Foulke, Jr., Assistant Secretary gave opening remarks and provided an OSHA update and John Piacentino, then Medical Officer, Office of Occupational Medicine, Biological Specialized Response Team, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine gave a presentation, "Pandemic Flu: Pandemic preparedness and Response-guidance for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare employees." OSHA representatives also staffed an Alliance Program exhibit booth and distributed agency compliance assistance publications and the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance Activities Summary to conference attendees.

      Dr. Wright continues to serve on the editorial board of the JCR publication, Environment of Care® News. In addition, OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR are jointly writing an "OSHA & Worker Safety" standing column for the quarterly newsletter including the June 2007 article, "OSHA and Worker Safety: Decreasing Slips, Trips, and Falls: NIOSH Study Helps Health Care Organizations Improve Worker Safety," and the July 2007 article, "OSHA & Worker Safety: Pandemic Flu Preparedness: OSHA Guidelines Provide Direction on Protecting Patients, Workers."

      The Joint Commission/JCR is also sharing its expertise with OSHA to update the agency's Hospital eTool. The organizations' representatives are working on this project with other Alliance Program participants, including AAOHN, ABSA and AORN.

      Finally, through the Alliance, OSHA reviewed and provided comments on the JCR and the American Hospital Association book, Total Health and Safety for Healthcare Facilities: Catalyzing Improvements in Employee Safety, Patient Care, and the Bottom Line.

    3. Alliance Program Reach

      Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.) Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
      OSHA and JCAHO/JCR Alliance Web page on the OSHA Web site 6,183
      November 8, 2006, OSHA Renews Alliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and Joint Commission Resources, Inc.

      OSHA News Release      		 72 News Services
      November 11, 2006, "OSHA Renews Alliance with the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and Joint Commission Resources"

      ehs Suite      		 Data not available
      November 16, 2006, "OSHA Renews Safety Alliances with JCAHO, Electrical Contractors, Safe Tank Alliance"

      BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter      		 Data not available
      December 4, 2006, "OSHA Forms Alliances To Protect Telecommunications, Tree Care Workers"

      FLASHPoint      		 Data not available
      November 15, 2006, "Latest Alliance News"

      OSHA QuickTakes      		 53,906
      August 2006, Total Health and Safety for Healthcare Facilities: Catalyzing Improvements in Employee Safety, Patient Care, and the Bottom Line Data not available
      Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference
      October 19-20, 2006
      Washington, DC
      Speakers:
      • October 19: Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., OSHA's Assistant Secretary
      • October 19: Thomas Galassi, Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement Programs
      • October 20: John Piacentino, Medical Officer, Office of Occupational Medicine, Biological Specialized Response Team, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine
      • October 19-20: Don Wright, Director, Office of Occupational Medicine, Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine
      Exhibit booth      		 450
      June 2007, "OSHA and Worker Safety: Decreasing Slips, Trips, and Falls: NIOSH Study Helps Health Care Organizations Improve Worker Safety"

      Environment of Care® News      		 1,848
      July 2007, "OSHA & Worker Safety: Pandemic Flu Preparedness: OSHA Guidelines Provide Direction on Protecting Patients, Workers"

      Environment of Care® News      		 1,848
      TOTAL 64,235

  4. Upcoming Milestones

    During the upcoming year, the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance Implementation Team is planning a number of activities to provide health care workers and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources to help them protect employees' health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to biological and airborne hazards in health care and addressing emergency preparedness, ergonomics, and workplace violence issues.

    For example, the agency is committed to maintaining and updating the OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR Alliance Web page on OSHA's Web site. The Joint Commission/JCR are also considering developing an Alliance-related Web page on the organizations' Web site.

    In addition, OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR will continue to work with other Alliance Program participants, including the AAOHN and AOHP to update modules of OSHA's Hospital eTool.

    Further, OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR implementation team is developing plans to promote the Alliance through a number of speaking and exhibiting opportunities including, the Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference, October 10-12, 2007 in Alexandria, Virginia. The team will also developing content for an audio-cast on Health Care Worker Influenza Vaccination Protocols.

    Finally, OSHA and The Joint Commission/JCR will continue to jointly write articles for the standing column, "OSHA & Worker Safety, in JCR's quarterly publication, Environment of Care® News. In addition, Dr. Wright will continue to serve on the publication's editorial board.

Report prepared by: Sandra Khan, Alliance Coordinator, Office of Outreach Services and Alliances, August 29, 2007.