In the second half of the 20^th century, concepts and methods for quality measurement and improvement changed dramatically. In the 1960s and 1970s, peer review was mainly based on clinical audits, which took a clinical outcome, such as mortality, and inspected medical records to determine if the standards of care were met. These audits were considered a minimalist approach to meeting The Joint Commission standards and coincided with a hospital quality culture that, at the time, did not see a need for an extensive quality evaluation system.

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) are being reminded of the importance of having complete documentation in patients’ medical records.

Find out what’s happening in the world of federal healthcare regulations by reviewing some recent headlines from across the country:

• Three individuals convicted in nursing diploma scandal
• Physician surrenders license following negligence accusation
• Surgeon convicted for upcoding
• Missing fentanyl leads to license suspension
• Physician's license suspended