Association News

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Joint Commission forms Department of Engineering

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.—The Joint Commission has announced the appointment of George Mills as director of the newly formed Department of Engineering. The new department will bring together the organization’s experts in engineering and related disciplines.

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CMS grants authority to Joint Commission

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has again granted The Joint Commission deeming authority for the accreditation of critical access hospitals. The CMS designation means that critical access hospitals accredited by The Joint Commission may choose to be “deemed” as meeting Medicare and Medicaid certification requirements. CMS found that The Joint Commission’s standards for critical access hospitals meet or exceed those established by the Medicare and Medicaid program. CMS’ notice of approval will run through November 21, 2017.

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NIH appoints Council members

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Institutes of Health has announced the appointments of seven individuals to the NIH Council of Councils, which advises the NIH Director on policies and activities of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI),
The following new members will serve terms on the council through October 31, 2014:

• LaVarne Burton, M.A., American Kidney Fund, Rockville, Md.
• Francisco X. Castellanos, M.D., New York University School of Medicine.
• Jeffrey A. Kaufman, M.B.A., Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation, Needham, Mass.
• Grace LeMasters, Ph.D., University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
• K.C. Kent Lloyd, D.V.M., Ph.D., University of California, Davis.
• Joyce A. Mitchell, Ph.D., University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
• Robert F. Murphy, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh.

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Center for Health Design HD joins with eCornell

CONCORD, Calif.––The Center for Health Design (CHD) Evidence-based Design Accreditation & Certification (EDAC) join forces with eCornell’s Healthcare Professional Certification program to announce a partnership that extends the benefits of their respective programs.

In searching for other ways to support professionals in healthcare facility design, CHD found that eCornell’s curriculum enhances the EDAC learning experience; especially for those looking to gain a deeper understanding of how design is integrated into the overall healthcare operations.

For more information, see www.healthdesign.org

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Joint Commission works with ASHI

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.—The Joint Commission and the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI) announce a cooperative agreement to recognize histocompatibility (HLA) accreditation.

ASHI will now be accepted as the deemed accreditor for transplant testing services in Joint Commission facilities. 

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Gayetsky joins HFI Board

BOISE, Idaho—John Gayetsky has joined The Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI) Advisory Board.  Gayetsky is the Environmental Management Specialist for the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO).

ABSO provides consultative, training, and technical support services to school districts across the U.S. aimed at helping them build and operate more sustainable, higher performing educational facilities.

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HII works on guidelines

BETHESDA, Md.—A project to harmonize health research guidelines was launched by the Health Improvement Institute (HII) in partnership with the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC).

Project objectives are: 1) to establish an arrangements development committee, 2) to institute a sustainable mechanism to achieve the plan's purpose, 3) to create a map to define the scope of potential harmonization, 4) to inventory guidelines' elements, and 5) to develop consensus-based guidelines for guidelines.

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IHI hires staff

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) announced that Gail Ockerbloom Freeman—a marketing executive with experience at RSA, Wellspace and Microsoft – will join the organization as Vice President for Marketing & Communications.

Freeman will work directly with IHI’s senior leaders as well as teams responsible for marketing, public relations, publications, knowledge management, and IHI.org to develop and drive key strategic priorities.

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