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Here's to a Great 2014!

ISHE wishes you the best for 2014! We'll be announcing the 2014 calendar soon, so keep an eye on your mailbox and the website. We will be bringing you more educational opportunities that will help your healthcare facility and your career.

With all of the changes and challenges you face, it's nice to know you can always count on your fellow ISHE members to be there for you. Have a great year!

 

ISHE 2014 Board Announced

ISHE's 2014 Board of Directors are ready for a groundbreaking year. If you have any suggestions for events, meetings, or programming, don't hesitate to contact ISHE's leadership team:

  • PRESIDENT
    Ricky Ray
    Supervisor of Plant Operations
    Witham Health Services
    Email: rray@witham.org
  • TREASURER
    Wayne Fairburn
    Manager, Plant Operations
    St. Vincent Hospital & Health Services
    Email: dwfairbu@stvincent.org
  • NORTHERN DISTRICT CHAIRMAN
    Roger Bradley
    Director, Operations and Facilities Administration
    IU Health Arnett
    Email: rbradle2@iuhealth.org
  • NORTHERN DISTRICT VICE CHAIRMAN
    Dan Rees
    Lutheran Health Network
    Director Facility Services
    Email: drees@lhn.net
  • SOUTHERN DISTRICT CHAIRMAN
    Rusty Rozelle
    Plant Engineer, EOC Manager, & Hospital Safety Officer
    Bloomington Hospital
    Email: JRozelle1@iuhealth.org
  • SOUTHERN DISTRICT VICE CHAIRMAN
    Vic Detienne
    St. Vincent Fishers Hospital
    Facility Services Supervisor
    Email: vcdetien@stvincent.org
  • ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER
    Dan Hall
    President
    CM Buck & Associates
    Email: dhall@cmbuck.com
  • ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER
    John Wilczynski
    KJWW Engineering
    Email: johnw@kjww.com
  • LIAISON
    Ron Shake
    Director of Facilities
    Sullivan County Community Hospital
    Email: ron.shake@schosp.com

 

Do You Have a Project You Would Like to Share?

Do you have an Indiana healthcare facility project, large or small, that you would be willing to share with your fellow ISHE members? The more we learn from each other, the easier we make it for everyone. Associate and regular members alike are welcome to share their stories. Contact Dave Stevens at dstevens@stevens-stevens.com and he'll help with the editing and layout - it's easy.

 

Remember to Document Properly Before Using CMS Categorical Waivers

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now offers many categorical waivers for health care facilities. But some hospitals have neglected steps of the categorical waiver process and are running into trouble with life safety surveyors. To use the categorical waivers - a full list of which is available in an ASHE article and chart - ASHE recommends that health care facilities take the following steps after checking to ensure their state accepts the categorical waivers:

  • Ensure full compliance with the appropriate code reference mentioned in the waiver.
  • Document the decision to use the waiver.
  • -- ASHE recommends creating a letter stating which categorical waivers your facility will use. Get your safety committee and CEO to sign off on the letter.
  • -- The Joint Commission would like to see all Life Safety Code waiver information under the basic building information in the electronic statement of conditions. Reference or attach the letter outlining the categorical waivers being used. Including the waiver information in the electronic statement of conditions allows surveyors to know your decision to use the waivers even before they get on site.
  • -- Think carefully about which waivers you want to use. Only use the categorical waivers that apply. For example, if you are using the waiver on suite size for your emergency room but not for your intensive care unit, record that decision and specify which suites are affected. This will show you've done your homework and will save surveyors time because they will know ahead of time which suites will fall under the waiver.
  • -- When the survey team arrives, notify them of your decision to use the categorical waivers by telling surveyors orally as well as giving them the letter showing the decision to use the waivers.

    Learn more at the ASHE website.

     

2014 Calendar
Coming Soon!