The DPO's Corner
Tom Zahorsky wants to bend your ear on hot healthcare facility topics. Sign up here to receive his monthly e-newsletter and read about maximizing your Environment of Care®.
Tom has over 27 years of healthcare facility management experience with increasing responsibilities and industry recognition. His most recent position was as Director of Plant Operations at Conroe Medical Regional Center where he led them to become the first hospital in Texas to achieve OSHA Voluntary Protection Program STAR worksite status. Tom has served his industry as the Education Committee Chairman of TAHFM (Texas Association of Healthcare Facility Managers) and was formerly a Life Safety Code Specialist for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. His unique experience in leading-edge automation of healthcare standards and personal peer networking makes him a unique, valuable resource for healthcare facility managers in their journey to a pro-active Environment of Care® management structure.
Here are some hot topics currently planned for the 2006 editorial calendar:
The DPO's Corner, Issue I, Vol. 1
Introduction to Managing the Environment of Care®
June - 2006
Managing the Environment of Care® (EOC) in a modern healthcare facility is a complex process requiring many hours of dedicated work. Years of experience in a healthcare facility helps, but education and training experienced on a regular basis and the right set of tools with which to work are essential. This article will be the first in a series of articles on running an effective EOC® program in today’s hospitals.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 2, Vol. 1
Using your CMMS to Manage an Effective BMP
July - 2006
The BMP, or Building Maintenance Program as called for by the Joint Commission’s Statement of Conditions Part III, Section 6J, is a proactive Risk Reduction and Loss Control strategy that can help a healthcare organization manage key elements of the Life Safety component of their overall EOC® management system. This article discusses leveraging information management technology to help manage these responsibilities in a cost effective and reliable manner.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 3, Vol. 1
Synopsis of Lessons Learned from 2004-2005 Hurricane Seasons
August - 2006
Recap of the experiences and learning at the TAHFM Interlink and the Hurricane Conference that are scheduled in April and May, sponsored by TAHFM and HAAHE respectively. A wealth of information will be presented regarding lessons learned by hospitals and healthcare systems during busy hurricane seasons. This article distills the lessons learned to key points, and provides contact information for further information for those who want to be in the know, or just to follow up on what was shared in these worthwhile events.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 4, Vol. 1
ICES – The Safety Officer’s Information Collection and Evaluation System
September - 2006
JCAHO EOC® Standards EC.9.10 and EC.9.20 call for an individual to coordinate the collection of information and a multi-disciplinary improvement team to analyze this information in a timely manner. Having an effective EOC® Management system must include and effective ICES, or Information Collection and Evaluation System. Learn how to structure your ICES to gather the information that your Safety Committee needs, and filter out that which has little value to the organization’s mission.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 5, Vol. 1
Running Effective Safety Committee Meetings
October - 2006
Hospital Safety Committees can have a major impact on the manner in which a hospital conducts its daily business. In order to be truly effective, committee membership must be carefully selected, committee leadership must fully understand the purpose and function of an effective committee, and hospital leadership must support the recommendations and actions of the committee as a part of the Continual Quality Improvement program for the organization. Learn how to select the team, structure your program and organize meeting agenda, minutes and leadership report for the best use of time and greatest impact on the organization.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 6, Vol. 1
Interim Life Safety Measures
November - 2006
Interim Life Safety Measures or “ILSMs” are series of 11 steps that JCAHO requires that a hospital assess when Life Safety is potentially compromised. This process is called for not only when planning construction, but can also be critical in maintaining the level of Life Safety expected of building occupants during other times as well. A PFI with significant deficiencies listed, the discovery of a Life Safety deficiency that was previously unknown or the failure of a critical Life Safety component may also cause a need for ILSMs and an assessment must be documented. This article explores the why, when and how of doing an ILSM assessment and when certain of the 11 steps are appropriate.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 7, Vol. 1
Conducting a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment for Emergency Preparedness
December - 2006
This annual requirement can easily be met using one or more of many tools that are readily available, or through your own process. Risk factors for events that could feasibly impact the ability of your healthcare organization to deliver quality care or cause an influx of casualties must all be considered, and appropriate emergency plan drills conducted based on the findings of the HVA. This article discusses both how to conduct the HVA and then what to do with the information gained from the HVA process.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 1, Vol. 2
Conducting the Annual Evaluation of the EOC® Program
January - 2007
One of the documents that JCAHO will request at the very start of their surveys is the Annual Evaluation of the Environment of Care Program. This document tells the survey team a great deal about the organization’s process for managing safety in the Environment of Care. Element of Performance EC.9.10.05 requires an annual evaluation that assesses the objectives, scope, performance and effectiveness of each of the seven EOC® management plans. Performance indicators must be tabulated into meaningful information and decisions made based on those indicators for the program to be effectively evaluated. This article discusses best practices and some observed pitfalls to avoid when conducting your annual EOC® Program evaluation.
The DPO's Corner, Issue 2, Vol. 2
Hazard Surveillance and Hazard Reporting
February - 2007
Hazard Surveillance and Hazard Reporting work hand in hand to help provide a patient care and work environment with the highest level of hazard control possible. This article discusses both as proactive steps involving all members of the healthcare facility team for maximum risk reduction and control.
