Patient Safety Monitor Journal - Volume 21, Issue 6

Creating airborne infection isolation rooms in a crisis

May 12, 2020
COVID-19, Emergency Management, Environment and Facilities, Infection Control, Life Safety

While not ideal, it is possible even in locations like these to make a temporary working AIIR to help safeguard patients and staff.

Accreditation Insider

CMS Emergency Waivers Now Include Some Testing, Inspections

May 12, 2020
CMS, COVID-19, Environment and Facilities, Life Safety, Survey Preparation

After several requests, CMS finally issued a waiver for some — but not all — equipment inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) requirements at hospitals and other healthcare facilities for the duration of...

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 2, Issue 1

Fire safety may trump ligature risk, but surveyors likely will want both

December 16, 2019
Environment and Facilities, Joint Commission, Life Safety, Suicide Prevention

The Joint Commission’s (TJC) newest engineering director, Herman A. McKenzie, MBA, CHSP, told hospital leadership that life safety (LS) trumps ligature risk. But be prepared to not have a choice.

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 2, Issue 1

Expect the next decade to focus on coping with new technology and old problems

December 10, 2019
Accreditation, CMS, Data Tracking, Emergency Management, Environment and Facilities, Healthcare Violence, HFAP, Infection Control, Joint Commission, Leadership, Life Safety, Medical Error Prevention, Medication Management, National Patient Safety Goals, Patient Safety, Policies and Procedures, Quality Improvement, Sentinel Event Alerts, Suicide Prevention, Survey Coordinator Training, Survey Preparation

Healthcare compliance changed quite a bit in the last decade. For one thing, fire safety moved into the current millennium with the adoption of the 2012 versions of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code® (LSC) and NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code®.

Patient Safety Monitor Journal - Volume 21, Issue 1

How not to run out of water

December 10, 2019
Environment and Facilities, Life Safety, Policies and Procedures

Running out of water in an emergency is not something a hospital wants to think about. However, recent events have shown that it can and does happen: 

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 1, Issue 11

OSHA announces two new protocols for respirator fit testing

October 29, 2019
Environment and Facilities, Life Safety, Policies and Procedures

On September 26, OSHA added two new protocols for ensuring employees’ respirators fit properly. 

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 1, Issue 11

TJC, other AOs told to step up on finding EoC, LSC violations

October 8, 2019
Accreditation, CMS, Environment and Facilities, HFAP, Joint Commission, Life Safety

Expect CMS to continue its crackdown on The Joint Commission (TJC), HFAP, and other accrediting organizations (AO) for fire safety and physical environment oversight. 

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 1, Issue 10

Time to remind staff about the fire dangers with decorations

September 24, 2019
Environment and Facilities, Life Safety

It’s October, so it’s about time to dust off the Scrooge costume for Halloween. 

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 1, Issue 9

Ensure empty O₂ cylinders are stored separately and policies are clear

August 6, 2019
Environment and Facilities, Joint Commission, Life Safety

TJC has recently highlighted a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) on storage management that clarifies storage of partial cylinders. 

Inside Accreditation & Quality - Volume 1, Issue 8

2019 quality review highlights common problems with ligature risk, IC, fire safety

July 2, 2019
Environment and Facilities, Infection Control, Life Safety, Quality Improvement, Suicide Prevention

Ligature risk, building safety problems, and infection control were among the top problems identified by Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) surveyors last year, according to the recently published 2019 HFAP Quality Review.

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