Investing in a preliminary life safety compliance audit is a solid step toward achieving a better understanding of the requirements for certification with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the steps your facility should take to protect patients and ensure the best possible outcomes for their recovery processes. Understanding the basics of life safety compliance and the importance of these standards in promoting better patient care and a safer environment is essential to your ongoing success in the healthcare industry. Here are some points to keep in mind when planning for your healthcare facility audit in our area.
Hospitals and Clinics May Show Signs of Age
Older buildings may have been designed and constructed without modern healthcare regulatory compliance in mind. Working with a company that specializes in life safety compliance audit services is a practical step toward identifying issues with buildings that were constructed under previous versions of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). As this code has evolved, newer standards have been put in place regarding the installation and maintenance of electrical wiring and equipment and for fire suppression and protection systems. Even the placement of fire extinguishers has been adjusted to promote the safest conditions for patients in the healthcare environment. A company who completes pre-inspection audits of healthcare facilities can help you to deal with these issues before CMS comes to check on your buildings and life safety measures.
Changes to NFPA Codes Require Special Attention
The codes and standards established by the NFPA and CMS are constantly evolving to provide better protections for patients and workers in medical facilities. For example, CMS recently updated its requirements for fire extinguisher placement to allow only low-profile fire extinguishers to be mounted on the surfaces of corridors in healthcare facilities. Fire extinguishers that extend into these hallways for more than four and one-half inches are not in compliance with NFPA and CMS life safety codes. Moving these fire extinguishers into recessed or semi-recessed cabinets is a good solution for many facilities.
Maintaining Proper Life Safety Drawings and Documentation
A life safety compliance audit is a practical way to make sure that your facility has updated versions of all life safety drawings and documentation required by CMS. This will help your healthcare facility to achieve a better chance of success when seeking accreditation with CMS.
At Healthcare Life Safety Services, we offer practical audit services to help your facility prepare for a compliance audit by CMS. We work with healthcare organizations just like yours to provide the information and the support needed to help you make the necessary corrections before your accreditation surveyor arrives. Call us today at 281-598-1359 to schedule a consultation with our team. We look forward to the opportunity to serve you.