CMS encourages state agencies to resume surveys

CMS is gearing up to resume surveys, starting with closing out cases suspended by the March...

Sentinel events for 2020 pandemic year drop slightly

The number of sentinel events reviewed by The Joint Commission (TJC) in the first half of this...

Not every summer illness is COVID-19: Decision support tools can play key role in diagnosis

Even during “normal times,” summer activities expose Americans to a long list of...

Why are we here? Because we’re here!

Source: Mac's Safety Space

At some point in the misty past, I was “schooled” that decontamination showers...

NFPA ramps up online resources with COVID-19 related compliance information

Look to two white papers available online from the NFPA to help you sort Life Safety Code®...

Ask the expert: Frequency of "wet location" risk assessments

Q: How often should an operating room “wet location” risk assessment be performed?

A: Section 6.3.2.2.8.4 of NFPA 99-2012 says operating rooms shall be considered to be a wet procedure location, unless a risk assessment conducted by the healthcare governing body determines otherwise. Nowhere in NFPA 99 does it say how often this risk assessment should be made.

There are two schools of thought on how often risk assessments should be redone:

Will TJC get tougher? CMS okays AO status but outlines concerns

Expect The Joint Commission (TJC) to get tougher on some areas of survey, particularly with the physical environment and off-campus facilities, and to change the level of detail in its daily briefing about what surveyors are finding.

In mid-July, CMS confirmed that TJC—one of the nation’s longest-running accrediting organizations (AO) and a longtime standard-setter in patient safety—has earned CMS approval as an AO for hospitals.
But only for two years.

CDC advises preparation for hurricanes on top of COVID-19

As we head into August, the heart of hurricane season, review your emergency storm preparations...

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The 2020 Compliance Crosswalk:

• Incorporates practical experience and findings from actual survey activities and known hotspots across the nation
• Provides an independent voice separate from CMS, The Joint Commission, or consultants who are selling services
• Presents information in an easy-to-read format
• Includes analysis/guideline sections

Order now at https://hcmarketplace.com/cms-compliance-crosswalk

Brian Ward
Editor
bward@hcpro.com


HCPro
35 Village Road, Suite 200
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800-650-6787
http://www.hcpro.com

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