Update to Joint Commission Standard MS.1.20
By Mercedes L. Varasteh
The implementation of a new bylaws standard which would have enhanced the negotiating power and influence of medical staffs has been delayed indefinitely due to concerns from hospitals, according to the Joint Commission.
The Joint Commission (formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or “JCAHO”) published a revised version of Medical Staff Standard 1.20 (MS.1.20) in 2007, which was originally slated to take effect July 1, 2009. MS.1.20 would have dramatically changed the required content for medical staff bylaws, which are the authoritative documents addressing medical staff self-governance and accountability to the governing body (and are entirely separate from the hospital corporate bylaws). While previous Joint Commission standards provided a list of sections required to be included in medical staff bylaws, MS.1.20 mandated that the details of these sections, as well as the manner in which compliance will be achieved, to be carefully articulated. The proposed revisions were intended to shift the balance in power between medical staffs and hospital governing boards by creating a more collaborative bylaws drafting process between the two entities.
Following concerns from hospitals regarding the requirements of MS.1.20, the Joint Commission assembled a 19-member Implementation Task Force early in 2008 to analyze its potential impact. The Joint Commission subsequently suspended the targeted July 1, 2009 implementation indefinitely to allow the task force further time to review the standard’s provisions, including the relationship between the organized medical staff and the medical executive committee; conflict resolution considerations; and if the associated details should be in the medical staff bylaws, or in rules and regulations/policies.
Before MS.1.20 will be formally approved by the Joint Commission, it must be unanimously approved by each member of the Task Force. Until then Standard MS.1.20 in the 2008 Joint Commission Hospital Accreditation Manual will remain in effect. No further details have been released at this point.
The Joint Commission (formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or “JCAHO”) published a revised version of Medical Staff Standard 1.20 (MS.1.20) in 2007, which was originally slated to take effect July 1, 2009. MS.1.20 would have dramatically changed the required content for medical staff bylaws, which are the authoritative documents addressing medical staff self-governance and accountability to the governing body (and are entirely separate from the hospital corporate bylaws). While previous Joint Commission standards provided a list of sections required to be included in medical staff bylaws, MS.1.20 mandated that the details of these sections, as well as the manner in which compliance will be achieved, to be carefully articulated. The proposed revisions were intended to shift the balance in power between medical staffs and hospital governing boards by creating a more collaborative bylaws drafting process between the two entities.
Following concerns from hospitals regarding the requirements of MS.1.20, the Joint Commission assembled a 19-member Implementation Task Force early in 2008 to analyze its potential impact. The Joint Commission subsequently suspended the targeted July 1, 2009 implementation indefinitely to allow the task force further time to review the standard’s provisions, including the relationship between the organized medical staff and the medical executive committee; conflict resolution considerations; and if the associated details should be in the medical staff bylaws, or in rules and regulations/policies.
Before MS.1.20 will be formally approved by the Joint Commission, it must be unanimously approved by each member of the Task Force. Until then Standard MS.1.20 in the 2008 Joint Commission Hospital Accreditation Manual will remain in effect. No further details have been released at this point.