Clinical alarm safety goal approved

The Joint Commission approved a new National Patient Safety Goal on clinical alarm safety for 2014 for hospitals and critical access hospitals. The new goal will be implemented in two phases: Phase 1 begins Jan. 1, 2014, when hospitals will be required to establish alarm safety as an organizational priority and identify the most important alarms to manage based on their own internal situations; Phase 2 begins Jan. 1, 2016, when hospitals will be expected to develop and implement specific components of policies and procedures, and to educate staff in the organization about alarm system management.