CareNotes

CMS Solutions for Long Term Care Facilities During COVID-19

This is a guest article by Soraya Rahman, director of marketing at Performance Systems Integration, an OHCA business partner.

When you think of your long term care facility, your mind probably goes to the health challenges of the vulnerable seniors, including nutritional meals, proper hygiene, timely medications, assistance with mobility, emergency medical response, and now protection from COVID-19. The physical elements that assist with those medical needs likely include wheelchairs, walkers, various monitors and stations for physical rehab and exercise, and more. Something that may not be as clear are those building systems that operate behind the scenes. Your facility’s fire alarm, fire sprinkler, security and access control, fire extinguishers, and emergency lighting are systems that sit in silence, ready to act and notify your staff and occupants of potential danger.

All Systems Must Work in Concert

It is important that your Life Safety Systems be designed, installed, and maintained as required by applicable building codes and standards (Oregon Structural Specialty Code OSSC) based on the occupancy and use of the building. Once installed, it is required by law that they be confidence-tested periodically to ensure proper operation. It is vital that these systems work together. Your fire alarm is the hub that is connected to sprinkler flow and tamper switches, HVAC, fire and smoke dampers and doors, security and access control devices, elevators, and the central station communicator. In the event of a fire, a sequence of events is set in motion to alert staff and residents to evacuate or relocate from danger. It then set fans, doors, and dampers to a condition that prevents the spread of hazardous smoke, unlock doors that might otherwise prevent personnel from evacuation, and alert the fire department to dispatch fire fighters to the site. A detailed plan should be in place and staff trained in its implementation.

Pick Your Partner Well

The idea is to partner with a company that has the knowledge and experience to deal with these complex issues, so you can focus on people. Consider partnering with quality equipment manufactures that employ technicians with experience and training.

CMS Binders Provide Guidance

Facilities should have a detailed binder of information and guidance to be used throughout the year to keep your staff organized and in compliance with all CMS rules and regulations.

A small example of what to expect:

• Compliance Cheat Sheet: Quick reference across all core testing disciplines, including code referenced requirements for functional and visual inspections
• CMS Training Outline: Training outline once completed, provide Certificate of Competencies (fire alarm, fire sprinkler, and fire extinguishers)
• Inspection and Testing Log Sheets: Log sheets used as guide for customer to understand required visual inspection frequencies and functional testing frequencies
• Annual NFPA Reporting: Download and Print Annual NFPA Reports from BuildingReports and download any PDF reports from DocDrive
• Backflow Reporting: Cloud backed full inventory reporting with deficiency status tagging