HCFA overrules JCAHO restraint standard.
The Joint Commission has issued new regulations on seclusion and restraints. The new rules call for a face-to-face assessment of a restrained patient within four hours, but they may not have much meaning because the HCFA regulations requiring a one-hour assessment will prevail for facilities with Medicare patients. This could mean problems for small hospitals and other facilities that lack 24-hour medical staff.
D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States