Facilities Management and Emergency Preparedness Chapter 21 Facilities Management and Emergency Preparedness

Opening the Office The very first thing you should do is adjust the heat or air conditioning The environment sets the tone for the office and patient first impressions Use a checklist to ensure all daily functions of opening, operating, and closing are performed

Opening the Office Evaluating the reception area Furniture, lamps, electrical cords Carpets and floors Reading materials should be removed when they become town or outdated Toys should be placed in a safe, out-of-the-way area

Opening the Office Preparing the front desk Turn on electronic equipment Retrieve and sort phone messages, faxes, lab and hospital reports Place charts for check-in Prepare sign-in sheets, cash balance forms, etc It is the responsibility of the office manager to confirm or develop and enforce IT policy concerning computer usage

Opening the Office Inspecting exam rooms and lab areas Ensure rooms are clean and ready for patients Observe temperature Turn on electronic equipment Restock supplies as needed Ensure all items are in working condition Ensure disposal containers are available Check the water level of the autoclave

Supply Inventory Maintain an inventory of clinical and administrative supplies The goal is to find a threshold or par level (minimum amount of supplies to be maintained) – do not run out of supplies, while not over-ordering supplies

Supply Inventory It is recommended that you use spreadsheet software like Excel to track your inventory and purchases. Scanners and bar codes are used in some practices to help track inventory electronically.

Closing the Office Clean and restock (as needed) all areas Patient charts Today’s charts: collect, check for completeness, file If there is no time, place in “to be filed” area Tomorrow’s charts: Pull and prepare Turn off all electronic equipment Secure or deposit all receipts

When leaving the office it is important to be aware of your surroundings. Try to leave with a coworker. If you are alone, always ask a building attendant for assistance, if available.

Safety in the Medical Office Federal and state regulations OSHA: established by the US Dept. of Labor to enforce safe working conditions CDC: agency operated by The US Public Health Department that collects data on pathogens and diseases and establishes guidelines to prevent their spread System of classifications or categories of infectious diseases related to their method of spread ADA: enforced by the US Dept. of Justice. Offers a guide to disability rights laws

Safety in the Medical Office CLIA: The Clinical laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 established federal regulatory standards regulating all laboratory testing (except research) performed on humans in the US Fire regulations: local fire dept. will conduct routine walk-throughs of facilities to verify compliance with fire codes Should be done before moving into a building or seeing any patients and annually thereafter

Security in the Medical Office The National Task Force on Violence Against Health Care Providers recommends that medical facilities conduct semi-annual inventories, install dead bolt locks on office doors leading to hallways and have managers control office keys. Locks should be changed if keys are missing.

If you are the first one to arrive at the office and you see evidence of forced entry, leave at once and call building security or police.

Signs, Symbols, Labels, and Forms Comply with all signs and symbols NFPA labels: National Fire Protection Association (fire diamond) MSDS forms: Material Safety Data Sheets provide information about working with or handling a particular chemical substance Forms must be current and easily accessible

Cleaning Spills Follow appropriate procedure Clean up immediately Use universal precautions

Cleaning Spills/Dropped Objects Pick up dropped objects immediately to prevent falls Glass fragments are best picked up using a brush or broom and dust pan and placed into a sharps container Wrap larger fragments so they won’t puncture anyone Clothing contaminated with blood, urine or other bodily fluids should be placed in a leak-proof labeled biohazard bag and properly disposed

Personal Safety OSHA is responsible to oversee that employers provide safe working conditions for employees Everyone is responsible for their own personal safety The quality assurance or risk management department requires you to report all accidents Creating a plan for personal safety

Fire Prevention Fire triangle

Using a Fire Extinguisher PASS Acronym Pull the pin Aim at the base of the flames Squeeze the trigger Sweep from side to side

Emergency Preparedness Those who are prepared have a greater chance of surviving a crisis Keep calm and confident in times of emergency Reduces panic and irrational behavior in others Each member of the office is assigned specific duties and must know how to perform them in an emergency

Emergency Preparedness Hold routine fire and weather drills Emergency escape routes should be posted in a central place within the office for all to see Post emergency numbers by all phones