When embarking on the journey of constructing a new healthcare facility, the stakes are incredibly high. The success of the project not only depends on the architectural and construction teams but also on a seamless alignment with accreditation and regulatory standards. Whether you are seeking healthcare facility compliance with CMS, TJC, DNV, CIHQ, ACHC, CARF, Social Current (COA), or state agencies, an accreditation and regulatory compliance consultant is indispensable. Integrating their expertise into your new build project is not just beneficial; it’s essential for ensuring that your facility is fully operational, compliant, and ready to deliver top-tier patient care from day one.
1) Architectural Plan Review: Building with Compliance in Mind
Before the first brick is laid, an accreditation and regulatory compliance consultant can provide an architectural plan review. This service ensures that the design of the facility adheres to all relevant building codes, healthcare regulations, and accreditation requirements. By addressing potential issues in the planning stages, you can avoid costly modifications during construction, saving time and money.
2) Licensure Preparation: Ready from the Start
Preparing for licensure involves more than just paperwork. It requires a thorough understanding of the clinical services you are offering and specific requirements for the building. A compliance consultant helps navigate this complex process, ensuring that the facility meets all local, state, and federal regulations. This proactive approach reduces the risk of delays in obtaining necessary licenses, allowing the facility to open on schedule.
3) Workflow Assessment: Optimizing Patient and Staff Experiences
A new building presents an opportunity to optimize workflows to enhance efficiency and patient care. A compliance consultant collaborates with the transition and activation team, evaluating workflows for the new space to pinpoint the most efficient ones. This involves understanding the day-to-day operations and how the physical layout can support or hinder those processes. Designing workflows with accreditation and regulatory standards ensures compliant facility operation.
4) Day-in-the-Life Scenario Role-Playing: Testing the System
To ensure that the facility operates as intended, consultants often assist “Day-in-the-Life” scenario role-playing exercises. These simulations involve staff performing their duties as they would during a typical day, allowing for the identification of potential issues in real time. This process is crucial for uncovering unforeseen challenges and making necessary adjustments before the facility becomes fully operational. Including an accreditation and regulatory consultant ensures that workflows support compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements.
5) Equipment Procurement: Ensuring Healthcare Facility Compliance from the Ground Up
Equipment planning and procurement is another critical area where a compliance consultant adds value. The compliance consultant works with the equipment management team. This helps ensure that all medical equipment meets the required standards and is appropriate for its intended use within the new facility. This includes understanding the accreditation and regulatory requirements for installation, operation, and maintenance, all of which are essential for patient safety.
6) Move-In and Pre-Patient Move: Seamless Transition
Moving into a new facility involves more than just transporting equipment and furniture. A compliance consultant works with the transition and activation team. They consult during the move-in process which ensures that everything is in place and functioning correctly before patients arrive. This includes verifying that all systems are operational, conducting final safety checks, and ensuring that the facility is ready to provide care in a compliant and efficient manner.
7) Patient Move: Prioritizing Safety and Compliance
The actual patient move is one of the most delicate phases of transitioning to a new facility. An accreditation and regulatory consultant collaborates with the activation team to ensure this process is conducted with the utmost care in adherence to all safety, accreditation, and regulatory standards. By participating in the planning and oversight of the patient move, they help reduce risks and ensure a smooth, safe transition for both patients and staff.
8) Post-Occupancy Pre-Accreditation and CMS Certification: The Final Step
After occupying the facility, there is additional work required to achieve full accreditation and CMS certification. A compliance consultant conducts a post-occupancy review. It identifies issues that may affect accreditation and regulatory compliance. This includes a mock survey to identify any areas of non-compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements. The compliance consultant provides recommendations for correcting any non-compliance and implements corrective actions before the actual survey(s). The goal is to ensure that the facility meets the standards required for accreditation and CMS certification, positioning the organization for long-term success. This step is essential since accreditation and CMS certification survey failure triggers delays. In fact, delays cause thousands of dollars of lost revenue and increase patient care costs.
Healthcare Facility Compliance
Incorporating an accreditation and regulatory compliance consultant into your new build project is not just a best practice; it’s a critical investment in the future of your healthcare facility. Their expertise ensures that the facility is designed, constructed, and operated in full compliance with all accreditation and regulatory standards, ultimately leading to a smoother accreditation process, seamless reimbursement and a successful launch. By addressing potential issues before they become problems, a compliance consultant helps safeguard the health and safety of patients and staff, paving the way for excellence in healthcare delivery.
Barrins & Associates
Barrins works collaboratively with transition and activation planning, digital technology, and equipment management companies to ensure accreditation and regulatory compliance in new builds and major renovations. We are part of the HBS Family of Companies which includes Architectural Plan Review, Transition and Activation Planning, Equipment Planning and Procurement, Move Management, and Digital Services. Call us today to learn how we can assist you with this process.
Barrins & Associates – “Guiding Your Success in a Creative and Collaborative Way”