TJC Provides Tips for Meeting Problematic Life Safety Compliance Requirements 

By David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE

TJC Director of Engineering George Mills provides tips for meeting problematic life safety compliance issues in the July 2013 of The Joint Commission’s EC News.  This valuable multi-page article addresses the following elements of performance (EPs) and related types of survey requirements for improvement:

ASHRAE Publishes Improved HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals & Clinics 

By Ron Holdaway, PE, CEM, LEED AP

ASHRAE recently published the 2nd edition of the HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics.  ASHRAE states that this book, a complete rewrite of the 1st edition, focuses specifically on HVAC system design for health care facilities, omitting general system descriptions that are readily available in other ASHRAE publications.

TJC Strengthens Leadership Accountability for Emergency Management

By David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE

In the July 2014 issue of Joint Commission Perspectives, TJC officially issued new and revised leadership requirements intended to provide “a clearer description of leadership-level oversight of emergency management.”  The new and revised elements of performance are all effective January 1, 2014. 

TJC Issues 2014 National Patient Safety Goal on Clinical Alarm System Safety

By David Stymiest, PE, CHFM, CHSP, FASHE

In its Joint Commission Online article dated June 26, 2013 (available at http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/23/jconline_June_26_13.pdf) The Joint Commission announced a new 2014 National Patient Safety Goal NPSG.06.01.01 on clinical alarm safety for both hospitals and critical access hospitals.  The July 2013 issue of Joint Commission Perspectives discusses the new NPSG in detail.