Action Alert

Action Alert / en Wed, 07 May 2025 14:25:06 -0500 Thu, 23 Jan 25 14:35:55 -0600 NFPA 99 Cybersecurity Chapter public input /nfpa-99-cybersecurity-chapter-public-input The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is requesting feedback on a newly proposed chapter focused on cybersecurity for the 2027 edition of NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code.In light of past cybersecurity breaches involving building systems, the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) endorses the effort to create general cybersecurity standards or regulations to help prevent future incidents and mitigate their impact on patient care.��Թ�is seeking input from its members on the proposed chapter to ensure that the requirements effectively protect hospitals and their patients without creating unnecessary burdens. Please review the proposed chapter and submit your feedback by May 26.��Թ�has provided a draft of the proposed chapter to its members with an opportunity to submit a modification included after each section. Items preceded with an “A” are annex information and are intended to be explanatory and not enforceable. Forms to comment on the proposed chapter in general or inquire about committee participation are available at the end of the draft.The statement below from the NFPA 99 committee explains the intent of the proposed chapter and encourages committee participation.Statement from the NFPA 99 committee: “Requirements for cybersecurity within the health care environment are not currently codified in NFPA 99. This committee input is the initial proposal for a new chapter on cybersecurity. The committee is soliciting public comment from stakeholders on this draft. Its inclusion as Chapter 8 is the initial proposal, but if public comments provide a better location this will help the committee in the final version of this new chapter. The committee is also seeking expertise to participate in a task group that will work to develop public comments between the first and second draft.”<a class="btn btn-primary btn-small" href="/propose-modification-nfpa-99-cybersecurity-chapter" target="_blank" title="Submit Comments (Members-Only)" roll="button">Submit Comments (Members-Only)</a> Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:35:55 -0600 Action Alert FGI seeking comments on Facility Code for Hospitals draft /fgi-seeking-comments-facility-code-hospitals-draft <h2>Share your facilities management insight by Sept. 30</h2>The Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI) has issued a call for public comments on the draft of the 2026 FGI Facility Code for Hospitals, FGI Facility Code for Outpatient Settings, and FGI Facility Code for Residential Care and Support Settings. Comments will be accepted through Sept. 30. Submitted comments will be visible to the public and members of the Health Guidelines Revision Committee (HGRC).FGI documents have been adopted by the vast majority of states to serve as the minimum design criteria for health and residential care facilities. ��Թ�encourages its members to contribute feedback to ensure a range of perspectives are considered, including the voices of those who maintain and operate these facilities.Major 2026 Hospital Changes Included in the DraftNew to the 2026 editions, the documents published by the Facility Guidelines Institute will no longer be called the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction, and instead will be called the FGI Facility Code. &nbsp;This change reflects the revised document structure. The FGI Facility Code will consist of only mandatory code language; any appendix material that previously was included in the Guidelines to provide clarity and best practice will now be included in a new handbook currently under development for each FGI Facility Code. FGI intends to make a version of the FGI Facility Code available for no charge to the public. An enhanced license with new tools and features will be available for purchase, as will the handbooks.��Թ�Regulatory Affairs staff have identified key changes in the draft likely to affect ��Թ�members. These changes include:<ul><li>1.2-2.1.3.3 Determining Clinical Room Need</li><li>1.2-4.9.2 Disaster, Emergency, and Vulnerability Design Features</li><li>1.3-3.5 Emergency Access</li><li>2.1-6.3.4 Discharged Patient Waiting Facilities</li><li>2.1-6.3.6&nbsp;Incident Command Center</li><li>2.1-7.2.3&nbsp;Surfaces</li><li>2.1-8.3.4&nbsp;Lighting</li><li>2.1-8.3.5&nbsp;Electrically Powered Equipment</li><li>2.1-8.4 Plumbing Systems</li><li>2.2-2.17 Behavioral and Mental Health Medical Complexity Patient Care Unit</li><li>2.6-2.2.2.6 Rehab Hospitals Patient Toilet Room Space Requirements and Clearances</li><li>2.6-2.3.1 Rehab Hospitals Dining, Recreation, and Social Spaces</li><li>2.6-3.1.1.3&nbsp;Rehab Hospital Ambulance Entrance</li><li>2.7&nbsp;Specific Requirements for Mobile Units</li></ul>To submit comments, log in at <a href="https://www.fgiguidelines.net/login" target="_blank" title="FGI login">www.fgiguidelines.net</a> and select “Submit Comment.” Please provide reasons for your feedback. Note that only comments on the draft are being accepted. Any new proposals will need to be submitted during the next revision cycle. Fri, 06 Sep 2024 14:13:37 -0500 Action Alert Stringent Energy Targets Could Cost You /stringent-energy-targets-could-cost-you January 31, 2020 Proposed fees and penalties related to energy efficiency in hospitals are currently being adopted by state and local jurisdictions. The state of Washington recently passed legislation which places a penalty of up to $5,000 plus $1 per gross square foot of floor area per year for buildings that do not comply with energy targets. Non-compliant buildings are required to complete an Energy Audit identifying Energy Efficiency Measures and to implement Energy Efficiency Measures to bring the building into compliance. However, the energy targets that the legislation is developed from may not be realistic or attainable.&nbsp; To help calculate correct targets, we need every hospital in the U.S. to benchmark their energy data in the <a href="https://www.energytocare.org/" target="_blank">Energy to Care program</a>. Up-to-date energy data will provide ��Թ�with statistically significant data that can be used to advocate for correct energy targets and prevent undue financial burdens on hospitals. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2018 provides energy management criteria geared toward a reduction of energy consumption in existing buildings and is being utilized as an initial model for legislation development. The median Hospital/Inpatient EUI target in the standard is 139 kBtu/ft^2ye. The ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager Technical Reference provides a median EUI for General Medical and Surgical Hospitals of 234.3 kBtu/ft^2yr. ASHE’s <a href="https://www.energytocare.org/" target="_blank">Energy to Care Program</a> data reflects a median EUI of 163 kBtu/ft^2yr for hospitals with ENERGY STAR® scores between 90 and 100, suggesting that the target EUIs identified in the standard are not attainable for the vast majority of hospitals.&nbsp; ��Թ�is launching a workshop in which subject matter experts will provide hands-on training to upload energy data into the Energy to Care dashboard and to utilize the program resources for obtaining energy management goals. Contact <a href="mailto:energytocare@aha.org">energytocare@aha.org</a> to request more information. &nbsp; <a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://www.energytocare.org" target="_blank" title="Visit Energy to Care">Visit Energy to Care</a> Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:44:08 -0600 Action Alert Advocacy Alert: Pressure relationship between operating rooms and other areas <h2>Executive Summary</h2> ��Թ�has heard reports of surveyors issuing findings regarding the pressure relationship of operating rooms (ORs) and sterile storage rooms and the restricted areas of operating suites. ASHRAE 170 Table 7.1 Design Parameters indicates that operating rooms (OR) and sterile storage are to have a positive pressure relationship to adjacent areas. The FGI Guidelines Section 2.2-3.3.1.1(4) requires that the surgical suite be divided into two designated areas. The restricted area of the OR suite is intended to support a high level of asepsis control. ASHRAE 170 Table 7.1 does not specifically address the pressure relationship of the restricted area but does generally in Section 7.1.a.1, which requires that ventilation systems shall provide air movement that is generally from the clean to less clean areas. ORs, due to patient vulnerability, should be considered the cleanest areas within an OR suite while sterile storage, due to containing items that need to be protected from contamination, should be considered a cleaner area than the OR suite restricted area. ASHRAE issued a formal interpretation on this issue in May of 2013. <h2>Impact to Members</h2> Findings that conflict with the requirement that ventilation systems provide air movement generally from the clean to less clean areas. <h2>Key Talking Points</h2> <ul> <li>ASHRAE Standard 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities 7.1.a.1 states that design of the ventilation system shall provide air movement that is generally from clean to less clean areas.</li> <li>ASHRAE 170 Table 7.1 Design Parameters calls for both operating rooms and sterile storage rooms to be positively pressurized to adjacent areas.</li> <li>The patient in the operating room is most vulnerable to infection and contamination and therefore the operating room should be considered the cleanest area and have the greatest positive pressure. <a href="https://images.magnetmail.net/images/clients/AHA_8/attach/InterpretationIC170-2008-5.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ASHRAE interpretation IC 170-2008-5</a> states that the OR should be positive to Sterile Storage.</li> <li>Sterile storage areas contain items that need to be protected from contamination. If these areas open onto restricted areas of the operating suite, the sterile storage area should have the greater positive pressure.</li> <li>Sterile packs in the restricted area of the operating suite are protected from contamination. These packs should not be opened until they are in the operating room.</li> </ul> <h2>Recommendations</h2> <ul> <li>Due to patient vulnerability, operating rooms should have a positive pressure relationship to all adjacent areas.</li> <li>Sterile storage areas should have a positive pressure relationship to all adjacent areas except ORs.</li> <li>Restricted areas within a surgery suite should have a positive pressure relationship to all adjacent areas except ORs and sterile storage areas.</li> </ul> <a class="btn btn-primary" href="/resources/alerts.shtml" title="View all Alerts and Issue Briefs">View all Alerts and Issue Briefs</a> &nbsp; &nbsp; Fri, 20 Dec 2019 14:39:21 -0600 Action Alert Advocacy Alert: USP <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding – Sterile Preparations The United States Pharmacopeia Convention has updated the USP &lt;797&gt; standard. The publication date was June 1, 2019. The standard applies to all places where compounded sterile preparations (CSPs) are prepared (e.g., hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and emergency rooms) and to all persons, regardless of profession, whose work involves preparation of CSPs. The updated USP &lt;797&gt; standard’s official implementation date is December 1, 2019. The standard emphasizes individual training and evaluation of those who compound sterile preparations. Contact is the most likely source of clinically significant microbial contamination during pharmaceutical compounding. Proper hand hygiene is critical and environmental sampling is stressed as part of comprehensive quality management. The update includes several differences from the last edition of the &lt;797&gt; standard. The “low, medium, high” risk levels have been replaced by a two category system of classifying CSPs. Category 1 CSPs are those assigned a beyond-use date (BUD) of 12 hours or less at controlled room temperature, or 24 hours or less when refrigerated if made in accordance with all requirements for Category 1 CSPs. Category 2 CSPs are those that may be assigned a BUD of greater than 12 hours at controlled room temperature, or greater than 24 hours if refrigerated if made in accordance with requirements for Category 2 CSPs. The updated standard also clarifies the requirements for sterile compounding cleanroom design and certification. Certification and recertification must be performed every 6 months. All certification and recertification records must be reviewed by the designated person(s) to ensure that the classified environments meet the minimum requirements. Corrective action plans must be implemented and documented in response to any out-of-range results. ��Թ�will be releasing guidance for complying with USP &lt;797&gt; in the upcoming weeks. &nbsp; <a class="btn btn-primary" href="/resources/alerts.shtml" title="View all Alerts and Issue Briefs">View all Alerts and Issue Briefs</a> &nbsp; &nbsp; Sun, 10 Nov 2019 15:48:11 -0600 Action Alert Help ��Թ�Prevent Unjust Changes to Regulations in the Future /help-ashe-prevent-unjust-changes-regulations-future To Health Care CEOs Nationwide: At the 2019 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Meeting, American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) membership was severely underrepresented, which led to losses that will expose patients to unnecessary risk and needlessly result in higher costs for health care institutions.&nbsp; For example, the Health Care Section lost every vote related to continuing the reconditioning of electrical components and assemblies in the 2020 edition of the National Electric Code (NEC). Many hospital and health care facilities – particularly older hospitals – rely on reconditioned electrical components in the maintenance of electrical systems and in the event of a critical electrical component failure. Reconditioned electrical components keep patients safe and facilities operational. There is no evidence that using properly reconditioned components is an electrical hazard.&nbsp; However, many of those voting in favor of the changes are not interested in evidence. These individuals are motivated by financial investments. They commit to attending these meetings to ensure that they have enough votes to pass changes that will improve their companies’ bottom lines, regardless of impacts on patient safety or hospital costs.&nbsp; We must take action to prevent such unjust changes to the regulations in the future. The only way that The American Hospital Association (AHA) and ��Թ�can continue to effectively advocate for quality patient care and safety in health care at events such as the NFPA Technical Meeting is to ensure that our stance is represented by as many individuals as possible. To guarantee that representation, we must be proactive. You, your staff and your patients will be directly impacted by the decisions made by the NFPA. Those who are directly impacted by these decisions have the right and the responsibility to make their voices heard and affect the process. This is our opportunity to mold the standards to which we will be held. Individuals must be present at the meeting in order to vote, and every vote counts. To take action, this is what you need to do: <ul> <li>Encourage your facility staff to become NFPA members at nfpa.org/membership before December 1, 2020. Joining by this deadline will enable them to vote in the next NFPA Technical Meeting.&nbsp;</li> <li>Support your staff in attending the 2020 NFPA Technical Meeting on June 18, 2020.</li> <li>Spread the word about the vital decisions that are routinely being made at the NFPA meeting, and the importance of representing the Health Care Industry at the NFPA Technical Meeting.</li> <li>Become an NFPA member and attend the meeting yourself!&nbsp;</li> </ul> You and your staff can inform ��Թ�that you are attending the 2020 NFPA Technical Meeting in Orlando by completing our <a href="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/cec335a34e9c4aa8ad7064b06c07eadf">RSVP form</a>. &nbsp; Please, support your staff in our field’s efforts to effect change. We must take matters of patient safety seriously to prevent harm in the near future.&nbsp; Sincerely,&nbsp; The American Society for Health Care Engineering&nbsp; Wed, 06 Nov 2019 13:47:13 -0600 Action Alert NFPA Technical Meeting To Health Care CEOs Nationwide: At the 2019 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Meeting, American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) membership was severely underrepresented, which led to losses that will expose patients to unnecessary risk and needlessly result in higher costs for health care institutions.&nbsp; For example, the Health Care Section lost every vote related to continuing the reconditioning of electrical components and assemblies in the 2020 edition of the National Electric Code (NEC). Many hospital and health care facilities – particularly older hospitals – rely on reconditioned electrical components in the maintenance of electrical systems and in the event of a critical electrical component failure. Reconditioned electrical components keep patients safe and facilities operational. There is no evidence that using properly reconditioned components is an electrical hazard.&nbsp; However, many of those voting in favor of the changes are not interested in evidence. These individuals are motivated by financial investments. They commit to attending these meetings to ensure that they have enough votes to pass changes that will improve their companies’ bottom lines, regardless of impacts on patient safety or hospital costs.&nbsp; We must take action to prevent such unjust changes to the regulations in the future. The only way that The American Hospital Association (AHA) and ��Թ�can continue to effectively advocate for quality patient care and safety in health care at events such as the NFPA Technical Meeting is to ensure that our stance is represented by as many individuals as possible. To guarantee that representation, we must be proactive. You, your staff and your patients will be directly impacted by the decisions made by the NFPA. Those who are directly impacted by these decisions have the right and the responsibility to make their voices heard and affect the process. This is our opportunity to mold the standards to which we will be held. Individuals must be present at the meeting in order to vote, and every vote counts. To take action, this is what you need to do: <ul> <li>Encourage your facility staff to become NFPA members at nfpa.org/membership before December 1, 2020. Joining by this deadline will enable them to vote in the next NFPA Technical Meeting.&nbsp;</li> <li>Support your staff in attending the 2020 NFPA Technical Meeting on June 18, 2020.</li> <li>Spread the word about the vital decisions that are routinely being made at the NFPA meeting, and the importance of representing the Health Care Industry at the NFPA Technical Meeting.</li> <li>Become an NFPA member and attend the meeting yourself!&nbsp;</li> </ul> You and your staff can inform ��Թ�that you are attending the 2020 NFPA Technical Meeting in Orlando by completing our <a href="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/cec335a34e9c4aa8ad7064b06c07eadf">RSVP form</a>. &nbsp; Please, support your staff in our field’s efforts to effect change. We must take matters of patient safety seriously to prevent harm in the near future.&nbsp; Sincerely,&nbsp; The American Society for Health Care Engineering&nbsp; Wed, 06 Nov 2019 13:40:28 -0600 Action Alert Advocacy Alert: Amendment would increase fuel testing | ��Թ�Advocacy Alert <h1>Amendment would increase fuel testing</h1> ASHE's advocacy team is encouraging members and others in the field to submit comments on a tentative interim amendment (TIA) made to NFPA 110: Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems. The TIA, <a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http:%2F%2Fwww.mmsend30.com%2Flink.cfm%3Fr%3DTm8M7ZNlgvNQmzCOHpwLow~~%26pe%3DuEefJ2FuhMR_sBR0DR5JNgY6BXFfJ99vuobgqK8KoUCBNVAUF8EbFmq-UhrfU1YFmeGivcX1S9OR7XL7imkMKA~~%26t%3D_r6huPszpGEAVqQMoPKxMg~~&amp;data=02%7C01%7Ctdagnon%40aha.org%7C0099a74bf5c04595758e08d61a741ab9%7Cb9119340beb74e5e84b23cc18f7b36a6%7C0%7C0%7C636725483307154552&amp;sdata=%2BRdiYwJMqj0luPtZPI6LcLFd%2BuPVVGst%2FUNH%2FUZYslA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">NFPA 110 TIA Log No. 1388</a>, would help to clarify appropriate diesel fuel testing methods for generators, but also seeks to increase the requirements of the tests performed and the frequency of the testing. ��Թ�recommends that those providing comments include the following data related to this issue: 1) How often your generator fuel has been tested in the last decade, 2) How many remediation actions were required over the same time period and 3) Any impact to the generator due to a fuel issue (i.e. a clogged fuel filter or a failure to properly start) during a test over this same time period. This information will provide data indicating whether there are issues with the current testing requirements. Comments should be <a href="mailto:TIAs_Errata_FIs@nfpa.org">emailed</a> to NFPA no later than Thursday, September 20. <a class="btn btn-primary" href="/resources/alerts.shtml" title="View all Alerts and Issue Briefs">View all Alerts and Issue Briefs</a> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Action Alert ��Թ�needs your help to prevent harmful interference to wireless telemetry patient monitors <h3>Advocacy Alert</h3>April 20, 2015In 2000, at the urging of ��Թ� (AHA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dedicated a portion of the radio spectrum for wireless medical telemetry devices such as heart, blood pressure, respiratory, and fetal monitors. The creation of the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) was a direct result of the AHA's advocacy to the FCC about our concerns over how electromagnetic interference with wireless medical telemetry equipment can affect patient safety. This issue gained national attention when a Dallas TV station, testing a digital television (DTV) transmitter, knocked out of operation low-powered heart monitors at Baylor University Medical Center. Fortunately, no patients were harmed; however, this disruption placed patients at risk and could have resulted in serious injury or death. Since 2000, the use of WMTS has steadily increased, and there are now more than 360,000 WMTS patient monitors in U.S. hospitals.The FCC is currently considering rules that would allow unlicensed devices to operate on the same frequencies as our WMTS. This action could affect all hospitals using wireless patient monitoring devices. ASHE, a personal membership group of the AHA, has worked closely with the FCC staff and commissioners to make them aware of the potential impact harmful interference will have on patient monitoring. But as available wireless spectrum has become scarce, the desire to share previously protected spectrum is simply too great to be altered by one voice. We need multiple voices, telling their story of how WMTS interference may impact patient care in their facility. We need your help.Please use the following form letter (put on your own organizational letterhead), fill in the hospital specific information, and send this letter to the FCC. Feel free to change the form letter as needed to put these thoughts in your own words and help explain why this monitoring is so critical to your patients. We need your voice to help convince the FCC to put patient safety first and reject all proposals that do not ensure interference-free patient monitoring.<a class="btn btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2019/10/fcc-comment-letter-template.docx" roll="button" target="_blank" title="Download Form Letter">DOWNLOAD FORM LETTER</a> <a class="btn btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2019/10/fcc-comment-letter_-nstructions.pdf" roll="button" target="_blank" title="Download Form Letter Instructions">DOWNLOAD FORM LETTER INSTRUCTIONS</a>Please contact ��Թ�Senior Executive Director Dale Woodin, CHFM, FASHE, at <a href="mailto:dwoodin@aha.org">dwoodin@aha.org</a> or 312-422-3812, if you have questions about this matter. Feel free to forward this advisory to your clinical and biomedical engineering professionals, critical care physicians, nursing leadership, risk managers, and administration. Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 Action Alert