JCAHO announces few changes for 2005

Medical staff leaders can let out a sigh of relief following the JCAHO's recent Executive Briefings conference. The profound changes in the accreditation processes and standards that began in 2003 with the adoption of the National Patient Safety Goals and in 2004 with the Shared Visions-New PathwaysT continue on track.

Most of the changes shared at Executive Briefings were not new. Instead, they were compilations of changes that evolved throughout 2004. Even the pre-publication version of the 2005 standards varied only slightly from the 2004 elements of performance