October 6, 2009

 Letter to the Editor
Mr. Robert Michel
Editor
The Dark Report 

RE: September 30 Dark Daily article, “Joint Commission Changes Requirement for Patient ID Before Blood Draws”

The Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goals are intended to help organizations focus their resources on important issues that affect patient safety.  Notably, patient identification has been a top priority within the goals since they were first implemented in 2003. The goal contains the longstanding requirement to use at least two patient identifiers, neither to be the room number or location. The goal further requires labeling of collected specimens in the presence of the patient, i.e. at the bedside. 

The Joint Commission supports active patient involvement as a best practice for patient identification. The deletion of EP 1 from the National Patient Safety Goal related to patient identification is not intended to discourage use of active patient involvement or minimize its value. However, the requirement as written lacked enforceability and did not adequately address managing patients who are not able to participate in the identification process. These are the reasons for the deletion.

The Joint Commission will continue to recommend the use of active patient involvement when patients are able to participate in the identification process.

Sincerely,

 

Gail E. Weinberger
Interim Executive Director
Laboratory Accreditation Program
The Joint Commission

 

Kenneth A. Powers

Media Relations Manager

The Joint Commission

Website: www.jointcommission.org