Many facility management tasks and processes are driven by local safety code as well as various regulatory organizations.  No where is this more true than in the long-term health care environment. As a condition for participating in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, nursing homes undergo inspections by state regulators at least once a year.  If they are part of the JCAHO accreditation program, they are subject to their facilities maintenance management requirements as well. Everything from daily water temperature checks to detailed generator inspection and maintenance records are subject to these regulations and inspections.

More than 90 percent of the nation's nursing homes were cited for violations of safety and health regulations in the last three years, according to a federal report. ...The deficiency rates on for-profit homes were even higher, with nearly 94 percent receiving a citation in 2007, Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, said in the report. ...The most frequently cited quality-of-life violations involved deficient housekeeping and maintenance services.

- http://news.findlaw.com/andrews/h/nlr/20081003/20081003_oigreport.html

THE JCAHO Requirement

The 1989 JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health care Organizations) regulations have been around long enough to be thoroughly time-tested. Everyone in the field of health care is aware of these regulations and their implications on the smooth running of a facility. Decision-makers know that they need to meet certain standards.

JCAHO is more than merely an acronym. It is part of every hospital and health care facility.  JCAHO accreditation is key to the financial and organizational operation of each health care facility that falls under its umbrella.

The mission of JCAHO is, in their words, to use standards of quality assurance, plant technology and safety management, to help health care facility operators and their clinical engineering departments make changes for the better. The regulations have caused health care facilities to look internally and evaluate their programs.

The key section of importance to health care organizations in the JCAHO accreditation process is the "Environment of Care" standard. Critical areas falling under this category include:

• Safety Management
• Security Management
• Hazardous Materials and Waste Management
• Emergency Management
• Fire Safety
• Medical Equipment Management
• Utilities Management

The Building Engines CMMS tools include our healthcare specific preventive maintenance equipment, inspection and task library to help you easily implement a maintenance program, and other regulatory maintenance and safety requirements.  Delivering detailed reports, simply and confidently.