The Joint Commission (TJC) discussed the use of a sample hazardous material and waste management environment of care (EOC) tracer in its March 2013 issue of EC News. The article provided specific examples for conducting the tracer to explore issues related to orientation and training, physical environment, and quality improvement priority focus areas.

EC News articles also discussed the use of non-patient tracers in June 2011 (sterilizer maintenance) September 2012 (fire safety) and November 2012 (utilities systems). An earlier Joint Commission International publication also discussed the uses and benefits of a similar tracer methodology approach called System Tracers. In the writer’s opinion, tracers of this nature have been proven to be extremely powerful in assessing not only compliance with individual TJC Standards and Elements of Performance but also in determining where opportunities for improving the EOC management processes exist within an organization. As TJC also stated in its November 2012 issue, “Performing mock tracers can help your organization evaluate the effectiveness of its policies, engage staff in looking for opportunities to improve processes, and identify compliance issues that need attention.”

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