New Water Management Standards

The Joint Commission expanded the requirements for water management beginning January 1, 2022. The changes require hospitals to implement a comprehensive management program to assure water safety. The new standards require appointment of an individual or group to develop, manage and maintain a comprehensive water management program.

The elements of the program include:

• A basic diagram, such as a 1-line diagram or flow chart, of all water sources, treatment systems, processing steps, and end-use points,

• A water risk management plan based on the diagram. The plan must focus on identifying locations where potentially hazardous conditions could exist. The standards cite the CDC Water Infection Control Risk Assessment for Healthcare Settings as an example of how to conduct the assessment.

• A plan to address the identified risks concentrating on areas of buildings or portions of systems where water may be stagnant for periods of time.

• An assessment of patient populations to identify individuals who are at risk due treatment or condition that results in them being immunocompromised.

• Developing monitoring protocols based on the assessment, treatment options and other factors.

• Evidence of ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of water treatment and management activities.

• Evidence of interventions when out of compliance conditions are identified, The intervention must include evidence of resolution.

• Documentation that new water systems and additions to or modifications of existing systems are assessed to determine if additional risks are created. Conversely, the changes could potentially improve the design and function of an existing system in a manner that eliminates a risk.

Ode Keil Consulting has experience developing and managing water quality plans for several organizations. If you would like more information, please contact Ode Keil at ecxprt@aol.com or 847-208-1173.

The Cardinal Rules of Joint Commission Survey Preparation

There are four simple rules for being ready for a Joint Commission Environment of Care survey

1. Be prepared every day. Don’t try to guess when your next survey will take place.

2. Keep required documentation current, complete and accessible.

3. Listen to surveyor questions carefully. Answer what is asked without adding more information.

4. Keep your knowledge of the standards and survey process current.

   1. Read the current version of the Environment of Care standards and any applicable updates, Sentinel Event Alerts and National Patient Safety Goals.

How is your retirement planning going?

The first day you go to work is the first day along the road to retirement. Given a pretty normal work life is 40 or more years the day you retire seems incredibly far off. As a recent retiree I can tell you the first thought I had when I retired was “Where did all the time go?” Fortunately, I did plan for the day when I would lo longer receive a paycheck. I followed some advice my father gave me when I started working. IT is titled To Attain Success. I have no idea of the origin.

To Attain Success

• A commitment must be made

• A plan must be laid

• A Price must be paid

• If it is going to happen, it is up to me.

Will you be a Boss or a Leader when you get your big break?

I like pithy summaries of important issues. Browsing the web recently I found a great summary of the differences between a BOSS and a LEADER. I believe most managers bounce between the two. They tend to act as a Leader in low risk, relatively unimportant matters or in situations that could adversely affect them. They tent to act like a Boss when they feel threatened or have not earned the respect of those who report to them. Study the points and write out an honest self-assessment. If you find you are mostly a boss, you need a plan to transition to become a leader.

Bosses

• Assume they are experts on every topic

• Communicate in one direction

• Give abusive, critical, negative feedback

• Tear people down without offering mentoring

• Permit little or no autonomy - They are always LARGE and IN-Charge

• Always blame others - Never accountable for their actions

• Always self-serving - measure everything by how they can benefit

• Always demand more without offering help

Leaders

• INSPIRE - Always sets the example and provides help to overcome challenges

• Takes accountability - Acknowledges mistakes and seeks to learn from them

• Treats others as team members

• Accepts new ideas - Listens respectfully and acts on input

• Provides constructive feedback

• Provides resources to help others grow

• Builds people through praise and encouragement

• Promotes two-way communication

How did you do? Come back in six months to see if your plan is w orking!

Being a Leader

Successful leaders are not, as many argue, born. Anyone can learn the habits that engage everyone around them. Being a leader is not holding a position with a lofty title in an organization chart. It is demonstrating habits that others relate to and seek out. A leader is able to draw people to a cause and inspire them to follow. There are many lists of what it takes to be a successful leader. Some of my personal favorites are as follows.

Number one in my book is to be approachable. Another word for approachable is vulnerable. Vulnerability is tricky because many people mistake it for weakness. As a leadership behavior, vulnerability is the root of accountability, hope, empathy, and authenticity. Being approachable means, above all, that you demonstrate that everyone is worth your time and attention.

Hard on the heels of approachable is positive. Everyone around you is fighting personal battles you know nothing about. Those battles drag them down and create barriers. Demonstrating enthusiastic hope for the future in an increasingly pessimistic world makes you a shining beacon. Being positive helps them refocus and draw out their best talents and capabilities.

Integrity and accountability are next. A phrase used to describe integrity is walk the walk. Accountability means accepting the consequences of your decisions. Together integrity and accountability mean you own your decisions and actions. You don’t deflect blame to others. Many people struggle with accountability. Being accountable is hard. In the end it is always the right thing. Mahatma Gandhi said it best - “It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.”

People worth following are humble. Humility is difficult to find in the world today. A couple of quotes that I refer to frequently are “A great man is always willing to be little” - Ralph Waldo Emerson and “A true genius admits that he knows nothing” - Albert Einstein. If you can learn to avoid putting yourself above others you can become a leader.

Finally people who are leaders understand that talent means nothing. Experience earned with hard work in a humble manner is everything. Only through experience gained in this way can leaders earn the trust of others. Hard won experience leads to authenticity. Authentic leaders are self-aware. They know and understand themselves. They know that vulnerability gives them a genuineness that helps them connect with people. Authenticity creates leaders with the ability to lead with grace. For me, a quote in the book True Grit by Charles Portis and later in the movie with Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld sums it up. “You must pay for everything in this world, one way and another. There is nothing free except the grace of God.” Those who are willing to pay the price of experience and apply these principles can learn to lead with grace.

New Website

Welcome to the new website for The Ode Keil Consulting Group. I am excited to be hosted by a new company that offers more flexible and easy to use capabilities. I can now more easily publish posts, news articles and other information that may be helpful to facilities managers and others as they work to achieve excellent survey outcomes and to manage their departments efficiently.

I read a wide variety of publications. I frequently find timely tips or suggestions related to accreditation preparation, management, performance improvement and other aspects of being a successful manager. I now have a way to connect my readers to that content.

I have always believed that life is a journey that requires constant learning, flexible thinking and a willingness to change. My writings over the years reflect that philosophy.

Tune in often as I will add content frequently.

Regards,

Ode