Medical Gas Compliance Blog

Most of us assume that because the hospital is plumbed for vacuum and gasses, everything will work right the first and every time.

Usually, it does, but there is a reason every operating room has multiple outlets and inlets. 

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned.

Keeping your medical gas systems operating properly isn't the only challenge that affects patient safety.

It is about time that these formerly Hospital Acquired Infection or Hospital Associated Infections were seriously attacked. 

In recent years, these infections have been responsible for 270,000 deaths and cause an estimated 1.7 million illnesses in the United States per year. (source) 

In the dynamic healthcare environment, the maintenance of medical equipment is vital to ensuring the well-being of patients and the efficiency of hospital operations. 

Traditional preventative maintenance practices can be costly and time-consuming, often leading hospitals to explore alternative approaches. 

The Alternative Equipment Maintenance (AEM) program was created for those hospitals that intend to deviate from the equipment manufacturer's recommendations.

Clogged vacuum pipes reduce your surgical staff's productivity and can put your patients at risk.

Often, surgeons try to offset problems with clogged vacuum systems with portable medical suction machines. However, there are many issues with medical suction machines that can cost you time and money while impacting the quality of patient care at your healthcare facility.

Every day, patients unknowingly depend on medical vacuum systems for their care. This includes intensive care units, operating rooms, delivery rooms, and patient wards. Over time, it's not uncommon for vacuum systems to begin to degrade, which causes surgeons and nurses to express concerns about the low suction coming from their vacuum systems.

Medical gas systems are a standard feature of most healthcare facilities, and they require special monitoring and maintenance to ensure they are operating properly.

Unlike other medical equipment and systems, their use of gas under pressure makes them vulnerable to a unique set of unexpected failures, which may not be readily apparent.

This makes medical gas preventative maintenance critical to a problem-free working environment.

At CHT, we understand you want your medical gas systems to be compliant, pass inspection, and, most of all, increase patient safety. We understand it's crucial to keep your medical gas systems running smoothly so you have no unexpected failures and you have the proper equipment to do your job competently and worry-free.

We are dedicated to making sure your hospital and your patients are getting all they need from your medical gas equipment. We put together a preventative checklist to help prepare you for an upcoming inspection and to alleviate your concerns and frustrations.

Every day, we come into the office and move papers and look at emails until the phone starts ringing. Then all the needs and crises start driving our activity. This flood of requests and demands challenges anyone to “keep their eye on the prize.”

Patient safety is a critical element of an efficient and effective healthcare facility. 

Every year, The Joint Commission's (TJC) safety goals are updated to provide the highest standard of care for patients. TJC approves changes to its National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) to address the best practices to achieve patient safety.

National Patient Safety Goals are designed specifically to assist hospitals and healthcare organizations in safeguarding their patients against errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

At CHT, we understand you want your medical gas systems to be compliant, pass inspections, and be safe for your facility. We provide quick access to compliance documentation when you need it and identify maintenance issues before becoming patient issues.

This article discusses the emerging patient safety issues and what action you can take to address them.

For over 50 years, glutaraldehyde has been a high-level disinfectant.

As a disinfectant, it is used to eliminate harmful microorganisms on surgical instruments and has other uses as a fixative or preservative in other parts of a healthcare facility.

However, it can get into the air from its use as a disinfectant, potentially exposing employees and patients to the chemical. Prolonged exposure to employees can become a problem.

At CHT, we provide solutions to maintain the health of your employees with environmental monitoring to ensure their well-being. We understand it's crucial to keep your employees safe and your healthcare facility compliant.

This article covers the health implications and ways to ensure chemical safety while handling glutaraldehyde in the workplace.

Zone valves are an integral component of your medical gas system. 

They allow for the isolation of specific areas of the system in the event of an emergency, required maintenance, or planned shutdowns related to renovations and modifications.

Incorrect locations, out-of-date labeling, or potential obstructions could result in disaster if this otherwise static asset is not appropriately managed. It is essential to be mindful of the zone valve requirements and considerations below to ensure the effective operation of this vital utility system.