Punching above your weight: Virtual inspections are coming!

By Steve MacArthur, Hospital Safety Consultant

As we continue the endurance test that is 2020, one of the general concepts that keeps cropping up relates to external folks (I hesitate to characterize them as “agencies” because of the potential for this to extend well beyond intrinsically compliance or regulatory-related processes) wanting to “visit” with you while minimizing the potential for physical “exposure” to your organization. For example, those of you who have been able to complete construction and/or renovation projects that require oversight from various folks, including your contractors, as a function of the punch list process before one can “close out” the project—in full recognition that the closing out of a project tends to represent a process under which as much of the “to-do” list is handed over to the onsite facilities folks by the contractor. And, yes, I suspect that statement reveals something in the way of a bias regarding the close-out process—but it’s a shoe that fits far more often than I would like, based on my experience.

Be that as it may, virtual inspections can be very much a double-edged sword (once again mixing far too many metaphors) in that, in some instances, the less that is found, the better (think the regulatory compliance angle), and, in other instances, the more that is found, the more “real” the assignment of responsibility for repair, etc. (i.e., the project close-out process). A little bit ago, I was chatting with a facilities director who was bemoaning the fact that his contractor had elected to conduct the punch list inspection virtually (not exactly sure how the process was administered, but it sounds like the facilities folks did not have representation in that process until after the punch list was received). An internal review of the space revealed a number of items that were not otherwise complete that (for whatever reason; you might be able to guess one or two) did not make it to the virtual punch list.

Ideally, the virtual inspection process would be an effective means of ensuring that everything in your building is “up to snuff,” but is the technology at a reliable point? Particularly if you’re the one left “holding the bag” if conditions, etc., get missed during the process and show up sometime in the future. I know some of the tech solutions are more than fascinating at first blush, but how do you folks feel is the appropriate level of trust for the results of the virtual survey? Please weigh in as you see fit. I’m really curious about folks’ experiences.

As we head towards the inevitability of autumn, I hope this finds you in good health and safe. Please keep it that way!

About the Author: Steve MacArthur is a safety consultant with The Greeley Company in Danvers, Mass. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare management and consulting experience to his work with hospitals, physician offices, and ambulatory care facilities across the country. He is the author of HCPro's Hospital Safety Director's Handbook and is contributing editor for Healthcare Safety Leader. Contact Steve at stevemacsafetyspace@gmail.com.