NAMES IN THE NEWS
AAAHC Releases Updated Allergy Documentation Toolkit
JUNE 14, 2024
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) of Deerfield, Illinois, has released a newly updated Allergy Documentation Toolkit, featuring new data and references for the seriousness of allergies and allergy-related medical issues in the US, according to a release.
This toolkit is designed to raise awareness of research, issues and protocols regarding allergy documentation, and to underscore the need for healthcare providers to maintain comprehensive patient allergy information. The guidelines, which focus on general best practices for patient documentation, also include more specific discussions about latex and penicillin/beta-lactam allergies, according to the release. The updated recommendations were developed based on AAAHC Surveyor Findings and Compliance Hints, as referenced in the toolkit, to address specific allergy documentation challenges and identify opportunities to improve internal policies and staff training programs.
“We aim to empower healthcare workers with the necessary information to develop effective processes when it comes to caring for the millions of Americans living with allergies and mitigating heightened risk factors in clinical settings,” said Noel Adachi, president and chief executive officer of AAAHC, in the release. “Toolkits like this demonstrate how AAAHC helps its accredited organizations remain survey ready all 1,095 days of the accreditation cycle.”
Accurate allergy documentation helps healthcare providers avoid, respond to and treat a reaction quickly and correctly, which is why it is imperative that documentation be accessible, organized and updated regularly. Designed with research at the forefront, the Allergy Documentation Toolkit provides a detailed yet simple structural framework for healthcare professionals to create internal allergy action plans that meet specific facility and patient needs.
“Establishing a standardized documentation process is crucial for patient allergy safety, the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the country,” said Julie Lynch, director of the Institute for Quality Improvement at AAAHC, in the release. “We developed this comprehensive toolkit to make it easier for healthcare providers to implement a framework for preventing this common health issue and treating any reactions that do occur.”
Learn more about the new toolkit and allergy documentation best practices, as well as other AAAHC toolkits.