Kristin Pitocco to Present on The Joint Commission’s Renewed Focus on OR Fire Drills at MHFPS Annual Fire + Life Safety Summit

Old Requirement, New Emphasis: The Joint Commission Targets OR Fire Drills

Hosted by the Massachusetts Healthcare Facility Professionals Society (MHFPS)

Presenter:

Kristin Pitocco, MPH
Principal Consultant
Environmental Health & Engineering

By establishing an Element of Performance for Operation Room (OR) Fire Drills in 2023, The Joint Commission (TJC) elevated this long-standing requirement to a critical compliance issue. This presentation will dive into the specific requirements, challenges, and best practices for conducting effective OR fire drills, ensuring compliance with The Joint Commission’s Environment of Care standards.

Unlike fire drills in other space types, OR fire drills must be physical simulations designed to replicate real-world scenarios and must be conducted annually in all ORs. The primary challenges are the need for meticulous planning and coordination among multiple departments and determining how to maintain sterility during the evacuation process.

This session will provide insight into overcoming the challenges to orchestrating these highly complex drills and how to incorporate best practices such as:

• Establish clear roles and responsibilities: Surgery, nursing and anesthesiology, among other departments, will need to participate and understand which elements and tasks they are responsible for. Facility managers need to be prepared to address questions and resistance from key participants. Despite the long-standing requirement, it is not uncommon to find that many have not participated in this type of drill before.
• Documenting every step: Maintain detailed records of the drill, including the actions taken by each team member.
• Make a “time out” procedure part of the drill: Facility management is not responsible for performing timeouts before each procedure, but the requirement to do so is part of the Environment of Care.

By understanding The Joint Commission’s expectations and implementing these best practices, healthcare facility managers can effectively address the challenges of OR fire drills and ensure their facilities are well-prepared to respond to fire emergencies. This presentation will provide valuable insights and practical guidance for achieving compliance and prioritizing patient safety.

MHFPS Annual Fire + Life Safety Summit

Two dates and two locations:
November 14, 2024 – Holyoke/Springfield, Baystate Education & Conference Center
November 15, 2024 – Newton, Newton-Wellesley Hospital

Massachusetts Fire & Life Safety Professionals can learn more and register here.