In years past, the term-ending grades for the various accreditation organizations have been transmitted to Congress in the late fall/early winter (the winter portion depends on where you are), but for Fiscal Year ’21 (Oct. 1, 2019 – Sept. 30, 2020), ...
If one accepts that one of the fundamental goals of the accreditation survey process is to generate findings, there is no reason to think that frequently cited standards, etc., by other organizations providing oversight (for instance, our good friends at OSHA) might not draw some attention when...
It seems there is a movement afoot in the surveyor ranks to try to identify processes that have been in place so long that the results of any risk assessment are likely fossilized, or to find conditions or practices for which risk assessments have not been “officially” documented.
As we rapidly approach May 11 and the official termination of the Public Health Emergency relating to COVID-19, I realized that I’ve been “sitting” on some COVID stuff that I wanted to get to you folks before it became too long in the tooth. The world’s response over the last three years or so...
We can finally close the book, so to speak, on survey year 2022 and, in so doing, ponder the forces that come into play to increase the degree(s) of difficulty when it comes to compliance. And, in case you hadn’t guessed, the forces that come into play in the (drum roll) physical environment.
In what is hopefully another in an ever-more-frequently covered topic (that being, the removal of barriers to compliance by those charged with determining compliance), CMS released information regarding a categorical waiver that paves the way for the use of microgrids for supplying emergency...
In the absence of embracing of a culture of safety throughout all levels of any organization, the folks who manage the physical environment would seem to be at something of a disadvantage.
Including the workplace violence worksite assessment in the annual evaluation process will help keep the topic in mind, but also informg organizational leadership as to what’s going on and what support might be needed to ensure the appropriate management of the workplace violence risks.
While it is certainly the case that healthcare is doing a good job in managing the risks of fire during construction, there still appears to be an opportunity for improvement, small thought it may be.