Joint Commission delays medical-staff standard

The Joint Commission has decided to push back the date for hospitals to implement a new medical-staff standard, MS.1.20, pending further review. Hospital executives previously had expressed concern that as written, the standard would undermine their ability to engage in collaborative leadership. They also argued that the proposed model "tips the balance of power in favor of full medical staffs over their medical executive committees," according to a letter filed with the Commission by the Federation of American Hospitals. What's more, hospital leadership groups have argued that the standard would force some facilities with strong existing structures to revise them just to meet the Commission's requirements. Now, the Joint Commission's task force has agreed to spend more time conducting its review of the draft standard.

To learn more about the pending standard:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece

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