Joint Commission Update on Preventive Maintenance Strategies

Changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Interpretive Guidelines will affect surveys of medical equipment maintenance programs for Joint Commission-accredited hospitals in 2011.  CMS, who previously required healthcare facilities to abide solely by manufacturer recommendations in determining preventive maintenance (PM) rates, has issued a ruling allowing clinical engineering departments to continue to use their choice of three strategies provided by The Joint Commission Elements of Performance in setting PM rates for equipment.  The three strategies recognized by The Joint Commission are: manufacturer’s recommendations, the device’s level of risk, and previous experience with the device.

In response to the CMS ruling, Joint Commission surveyors will be asking more in-depth questions about the three components of a medical equipment management program: the development of an inventory of medical equipment, establishment of maintenance strategies related to the inventory, and the strategies used to set PM frequencies.

To address changes in the survey process and to answer any questions biomeds and clinical engineers may have about this new ruling and other topics, George Mills, senior engineer for The Joint Commission’s Standards Interpretation Group, spoke at this AAMI webinar on April 21, 2011.

  WHO SHOULD PURCHASE
  This webinar is designed for biomedical equipment technicians, clinical engineers, and any other individuals involved during a Joint Commission inspection.
  QUESTIONS?
 

For questions about ordering the CD, please contact AAMI publications at 1-877-249-8226 or 240-646-7031.

SPEAKER

WEBINAR CD - Includes pdf of handout materials and webinar recording on CD.

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