ensuring the facility is in compliance with specific requirements.
"We have everyone go through these agency standards and docu-
ment exactly how we meet each of the standards," says Ms.
Rodriguez.
For example, under the standard that requires facilities to treat
patients with "respect, consideration and dignity," the crosswalk
binder spells out how Metro Health uses curtains, separate bays
and semi-private areas where patients go after registration as con-
crete examples of how it complies. The team creates these written
records for each of the chapters within the accreditation standards
binder.
Although Mr. Elledge agrees with spreading the wealth (his trifecta
of survey preparation includes "organization, planning and team-
work"), he prefers a weekly education format. He first holds a meet-
ing with his management team during which each manager has seven
minutes to give a rundown on what they've accomplished in the past
week, what they're working on and any glaring issues that have
cropped up. He then repeats the process with members of the hospi-
tal's C-suite.
While the meetings aren't accreditation-based, the operational
nature of them ensures any issues that would likely get the facility
dinged on a survey are addressed as soon as possible. Plus, the timing
of the two meetings is strategic. "They're designed so the first opera-
tional meeting flows right into the meeting with our leadership," Mr.
Elledge says. "That allows me to take all of the practical info I was
given from my managers and look at it with the C-suite from that
30,000-foot view."
Planning ahead
Address potential survey issues in real-time on an as-needed basis.
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