2025 CMS CoPs, Regulations and OCR Updates for Acute Hospitals and CAHs (ODW5046)-2025 CMS CoPs, Regulations and OCR Updates for Hospitals and CAHs Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Laura Dixon, an expert in patient safety and risk management, presents a comprehensive update on 2024 healthcare regulations affecting acute and critical access hospitals, with a focus on maternal care, patient rights, emergency preparedness, psychiatric services, and antibiotic stewardship. Key highlights include new CMS regulations requiring hospitals to ensure equitable care across all patient populations, particularly vulnerable groups like the elderly, and specific maternal care protocols. Critical access hospitals now have patient rights sections aligned with acute hospital regulations and must implement new obstetrical service standards effective January 2027, including mandatory annual training for OB staff and quality assessment initiatives addressing care disparities.<br /><br />Updates to patient safety guidelines emphasize ligature risk management in psychiatric units, death reporting, and infection control. Emergency preparedness protocols remain stringent with biannual exercises and the option for integrated healthcare systems to participate in unified emergency programs. Discharge planning standards have been clarified, mandating comprehensive assessments, patient involvement, reconciled medication lists, and accessible post-discharge resources tailored to patient needs and literacy levels.<br /><br />Psychiatric hospitals face enhanced requirements for treatment planning, staffing qualifications, and documentation. Antibiotic stewardship programs must demonstrate ongoing improvements in prescribing practices, particularly for pneumonia treatment durations.<br /><br />Several previous memos, including those related to COVID-19, have been rescinded with their content integrated into the manual. The Office of Civil Rights reaffirmed healthcare workers’ rights to religious and conscience objections, particularly regarding vaccine mandates and abortion-related services, while emphasizing patient access to medical records, including through patient portals.<br /><br />Dixon encourages healthcare facilities to review the extensive updated CMS memos and manuals, highlighting the importance of leadership engagement and staff training to comply with evolving regulations and improve patient safety across diverse care settings.

Keywords

2024 healthcare regulations

acute hospitals

critical access hospitals

maternal care protocols

patient rights

emergency preparedness

psychiatric services

antibiotic stewardship

CMS regulations

ligature risk management

discharge planning

healthcare worker rights