2026 Joint Commission Medication Management Update

Medication management remains a critical focus for accreditation, quality, and patient safety. This episode features highlights from a recent Vizient and Joint Commission live broadcast exploring updated medication management standards, National Patient Safety Goals, and key survey observations affecting healthcare organizations today.  Dr. Robert Campbell from Joint Commission and Diana Scott from Vizient join host Carolyn Liptak to discuss why standards evolve, emerging areas of risk, and practical insights to help organizations strengthen safe, high-quality care. Guest speakers:  Robert Campbell, PharmD, BCSCP  Sr. Director, Standards Interpretation, Accreditation Decision Management,   Medication Safety Division of Accreditation and Certification Operations  Joint Commission   Diana Scott, MHA, RN, CPHQ  Principal, Regulatory and Accreditation Services  Vizient  Host:   Carolyn Liptak, MBA, BS Pharm   Pharmacy Executive Director, Regulatory Compliance   Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence    Show Notes:   [01:09] Updates to the Joint Commission standards and the focus on relevance, usefulness, and patient safety.  [02:13] Joint Commission replaced national patient safety goals with national performance goals. How medication management connects to other goals involving patient identification, care delivery, and health professional resource management.  [03:22] Looking beyond the number of findings to evaluate their potential impact, degree, and scope. A single observation can reveal a significant system or process failure requiring immediate attention.  [04:05] Multiple observations may now be grouped under one requirement for improvement, but each observation still requires correction.  [04:55] The three criteria used to identify an immediate threat to health or safety and taking action as soon as potential risks are identified during a survey.  [06:06] The difference between mitigation and abatement when addressing an immediate threat to health or safety.  [07:04] Situations in which Joint Commission may return within 23 calendar days to evaluate whether an issue has been corrected.  [07:38] Common concerns with titrated medications, including documentation that does not align with the most recent medication order.  [09:03] Medication safety responsibilities that extend across pharmacy, nursing, prescribers, procedural areas, and other departments.  [09:32] Sterile compounding concerns involving aseptic technique, hygiene, personal protective equipment, and environmental conditions.  [10:20] Immediate use compounding and the importance of distinguishing it from other preparation activities.  [10:46] Labeling medications and solutions in syringes, basins, bowls, cups, and other containers in procedural areas.  [11:18] Proper labeling as a simple but essential safeguard in fast-moving care environments.  [11:24] Medication management is a complex system that requires collaboration across multiple departments.  [12:11] Looking beyond requirement for improvement counts to evaluate the risks and scope behind each finding.    Links and Resources:  Joint Commission Medication Management Update 2026 – Vizient On Demand Webinar Joint Commission Standards and Elements of Performance: Medication Management   Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube RSS Feed