Joint Commission Delays Implementation for New and Revised Diagnostic Imaging Requirements

The Joint Commission has decided to postpone the July 1, 2014, implementation date for new and revised diagnostic imaging requirements that it proposed earlier this year, according to a May 15, 2014, post to the "Prepublication Standards" section of the agency's website. The new and revised standards, which address overall patient safety, oversight of imaging services, staff competency, radiation safety procedures, equipment maintenance, and quality control, were originally intended to be implemented in two phases (see the January 2, 2014, HRC Alerts). Although the second phase of implementation, which focuses on fluoroscopy, minimum qualifications for clinicians who perform imaging exams, and cone beam computed tomography (CT) used in dental offices and oral-maxillary surgery practices, was not to be implemented until 2015, the first phase, which focuses on CT, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging services, was originally planned to take effect July 1, 2014.