Conducting and documenting meaningful fire drills in LTC facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 16, 2024
From some of our earliest memories in elementary school as little kids, we all recall participating in fire drills on a periodic basis. Of course, the purpose of those fire drills was to train students,...
Use of the Incident Command System during infectious disease outbreaks
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 17, 2020
Compliance with the Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers Final Rule indicates that skilled nursing facilities (SNF) along with other healthcare...
Grassroots initiative helps promote compliance
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 29, 2019
A Long Term Care Emergency Preparedness Checklist has been developed so providers and suppliers can review and implement these comprehensive requirements.
Natural gas leak near facility highlights the importance of planning
By
Stan Szpytek
Jul 14, 2021
Incidents like the one that is about to be summarized emphasize the importance of hazard analysis as required by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Emergency Preparedness Rule. Knowing the potential...
Preventing commercial laundry room fires in nursing facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Apr 04, 2022
This is an excerpt from a local news story that you never want to see for a skilled nursing facility: “A worker was hurt and several residents were relocated after a dryer at a Lehigh Valley nursing...
Planning for the ‘consequences’ of identified hazards at a long-term care facility
By
Stan Szpytek
Feb 26, 2024
Good emergency planning practices and regulatory compliance mandate that long-term care facilities identify the potential threats, perils, and hazards that can adversely impact operations both from an...
Program addresses emergency management considerations for behavioral care facilities
By
Kathleen Collins Pagels
Stan Szpytek
Jul 16, 2020
Since 2011, Arizona’s Disaster Ready program has proactively addressed emergency preparedness in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) throughout the state. Managed by the team at the Arizona Health Care...
Armed intruder and active shooter preparedness in LTC facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Steve Wilder
Oct 09, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires skilled nursing facilities to plan for emergencies and disasters to protect the vulnerable population they serve. The regulations cited in Appendix...
Patient care-related electrical equipment inspection and maintenance requirements
By
Stan Szpytek
Aug 28, 2023
Skilled nursing facilities are compelled by regulatory compliance to provide residents, staff and visitors with a safe environment of care. Providers occasionally receive deficiencies for conditions...
Why you must have ‘All Hazards’ disaster planning and the incident command system
By
Stan Szpytek
Nov 04, 2013
As perils of all types, including wildfires, floods, tornados, earthquakes, mass shootings and a wide variety of other adverse events, impact our nation, providers of senior services must understand the...