The California Department of Health has issued a new All Facilities Letter requiring general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, special hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities to establish patient safety plans and hand hygiene programs, effective January 1, 2009. These plans must include a patient safety committee, a reporting system for patient safety events, a process for thorough analyses of reported events, a reporting process that encourages a culture of safety, ongoing patient safety training, and a definition of a patient safety event. The patient safety committee will be responsible for reviewing and approving the plan, monitoring corrective actions, and making recommendations to eliminate future events. Additionally, starting January 1, 2011, the use of any intravenous, epidural, or enteral feeding connection for any purpose other than its intended purpose will be prohibited, except in emergent or urgent situations.

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