Safety problems identified within the physical environment account for 60%–70% of deficiencies scored by The Joint Commission (TJC) during surveys, according to TJC statistics. However, in the first six months of this year, almost 90% of those Environment of Care (EC) and Life Safety (LS)...
If you’ve asked for a time-limited waiver to address a Life Safety Code (LSC) deficiency, be aware that CMS is unlikely to approve extensions, warned Herman McKenzie, MBA, CHS, director of The Joint Commission (TJC) Standards Interpretation Group’s Physical...
Sometimes disasters mean being on the go while evacuating the hospital. Sometimes staff and patients have to shelter in place. That is why it is important to create easy to store and quick to move disaster kits to provide staff items they may need in an emergency. In the wake of a tornado in May...
OSHA addresses fire safety under the General Industry Standards (29CFR1910). Facilities under construction should consult the edition of the of the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Life Safety Code adopted by your regulating agency for more detailed information.
As cases of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continue to persist and influenza season picks up, the CDC is urging hospitals to check the efficiency of their heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Finding extra storage space in a hospital is always a challenge. But staff should be reminded that using stairwells, the ends of corridors, unused patient rooms or bathrooms, and empty offices for storage is not the answer.
Halloween is almost upon us, followed by a two-month holiday season starting with Thanksgiving and going through New Year’s. That means it’s time to review your holiday decorating policy, update it as needed, and educate new staff and veterans on what they can and cannot do.
At the urging of CMS, The Joint Commission has been providing surveyors with extra training on procedures related to investigating possible immediate jeopardy situations, as well as the use of open-ended questions during interviews with hospital staff.
Sterile processing departments have and will continue to receive a lot of scrutiny during surveys. That is also where hospitals can see a lot of high-risk deficiencies or even a ruling of immediate threat to health or safety.