In this three part blog series, we’ll be focusing on healthcare, BIM, and facilities management. In this post, we’ll explore how integrating BIM and an FM system can simplify accreditation surveys and other compliance related activities.
Accreditation surveys and compliance reviews keep healthcare facilities management teams on their toes. The Joint Commission (TJC), which accredits and certifies more than 20,500 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States, recently implemented a new standard which places responsibility for the design, installation, and maintenance of utility systems squarely on hospitals and healthcare organizations.
Standard EC.02.05.01 states that hospitals must manage risk associated with their utility systems. These include systems that support the use and function of the physical environment, such as heating and cooling, water distribution systems, and more. Key elements of performance (EPs) state that hospitals must:
- Design and install utility systems that meet patient care and operational needs. (EP 1)
- Maintain a written inventory of all operating components of utility systems or maintain a written inventory of selected components of utility systems based on risks for infection, occupant needs, and systems critical to patient care. (EP 2)
- Identify high risk operating components of utility systems on the inventory for which there is a risk of serious injury or death to a patient or staff members, should the component fail. (EP 3)
During an accreditation survey, facilities management teams must be prepared to provide documentation on different types of systems. For example, a typical request might be for two years of maintenance documentation for emergency diesel backup generators, as well as statement of condition documents.
Many facilities management teams still maintain information in a haphazard manner including paper or Excel files and disparate databases. With systems like these, responding to accreditor requests can take hours or longer. A better solution is to use a facilities management system. Populating facilities management software with data about utility systems doesn’t have to be difficult. As building information models are created for new construction or renovation projects, information about utility systems is usually captured in those models. That data can be easily integrated into facilities management systems where ongoing maintenance is tracked.
When surveyors ask questions about a system, the facilities team could quickly run a report out of the facilities management system. Not only does this help maintain accreditation, it also conveys to surveyors that the organization is efficient and well-run.
With technology and data management, it’s possible to streamline facilities management tasks and simplify mission-critical activities like compliance reviews. If you’d like to learn more about the intersection of facilities management, information models, and compliance, feel free to contact us. In the third and final post in this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at how using BIM to capture facilities data can improve healthcare organizations’ bottom line.
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