The JCR Advantage

Our practice is made up of Environment of Care experts with over 320 combined years of hands-on health care experience in a variety of settings across the continuum of care. Our team has worked or currently works as mechanical and electrical engineers, safety officers, architects, facility directors, nurses, and infection prevention and control specialists. With experts on both the environment and clinical side, we have the ideal team to identify the linkages between the Environment of Care and clinical settings to help reduce risk.

From the Environment of Care to the Life Safety Code and emergency management, health care organizations across the country benefit from our expert guidance. We’ll work with your physical environment team to assess practices related to:

  • Hazardous materials and waste.
  • Security.
  • Safety.
  • Emergency preparedness.
  • Life safety.
  • Medical equipment.
  • Utilities.

Results can be measured in ROI terms by helping you minimize risks in the physical environment and operate a safe facility.

Video: The JCR Advantage

A Robust Set of Environment of Care & Life Safety Solutions

Our services go beyond Joint Commission survey preparation. We can help you strengthen your Environment of Care and life safety programs in the following areas:

 

  • Evaluate the built environment before, during, and after construction.
  • Evaluate conceptual drawings for compliance with The Joint Commission and CMS.
  • Field verify compliance with NFPA 101-2012 after occupancy is granted.
  • Guide safe building design and new construction to help you achieve compliance with the Life Safety Code, general infrastructure requirements, infection prevention, and workflow.
  • Assist with pre-construction, infection prevention risk assessments, and interim life safety measures assessments.
  • Help you prepare for Joint Commission extension surveys.
  • Establish a long-term program in which a JCR expert makes regular visits to help you manage continuous compliance and assist with issues as they arise.
  • Mentor hospital or health system staff to become proficient in all areas of Environment of Care/life safety and develop best practice strategies.
  • Evaluate, create, and update a facilities Environment of Care program.
  • Conduct regular building assessments to help identify deficiencies and develop and execute plans for improvement.
  • Build dashboards to monitor compliance within your program.
  • Evaluate high-risk policies and programs such as life safety building assessments, interim life safety measures, and pre-construction risk assessments.
  • Create an action plan to help you prioritize deficiencies within the environment and drive corrective action planning.
  • Perform emergency management drills.
  • Help you coordinate with your outside contractors to implement plans.
  • Conduct field verification of life safety drawings.
  • Provide interim support to get a new manager/director up to speed or fill in when staff resources are limited.
  • Prepare for the Environment of Care, Life Safety, and Emergency Management chapters.
  • Conduct building tours based on The Joint Commission’s Surveyor Activity Guide for Environment of Care, Emergency Management, and Life Safety chapters.
  • Assist you with completing the evidence of standards compliance and creating and implementing action plans after a Joint Commission survey.
  • Assist with helping a new facility director/manager understand the Environment of Care program so they can take ownership and accountability.
  • Perform tracers to evaluate the organization’s compliance, including: fire barriers or air quality program for critical spaces such as surgery, invasive procedure rooms, pharmacy and where hazardous chemicals are used.
  • Access our experts by phone, email, or both and are billed only if services are used.
  • Conduct a Life Safety Assessment to identify gaps with the organization’s compliance to NFPA 101-2012 and NFPA 99-2012.
  • Perform a risk assessment based on NFPA99 Chapter 4.
  • Evaluate compliance with NFPA 101-2012; Chapter 43 during renovation, repurposing of space, or occupancy changes.
  • Evaluate pharmacy compounding areas to meet USP <795>, <797>, and <800>.
  • Conduct a CMS and Joint Commission standards comparison assessment.
  • Facilitate a Legionella risk assessment or complete a gap analysis on an existing risk assessment.

 

Download this article from Environment of Care News which answers many questions related to the location and maintenance of eyewash stations.

 

*The use of Joint Commission Resources (JCR) advisory services is not necessary to obtain a Joint Commission Accreditation award, nor does it influence the granting of such awards. JCR products and services are based on U.S. standards and regulations.