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CMS Mandate Changes Everything

CMS Mandate Changes Everything

Updated: Nov 16, 2018

UPDATE: Department of Health & Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Memorandum dated June 2, 2017


IWC Innovations is uniquely positioned to help your facility meet these new requirements as recently mandated by CMS. 

The following is the memorandum summary:

• Legionella Infections: The bacterium Legionella can cause a serious type of pneumonia called LD in persons at risk. Those at risk include persons who are at least 50 years old, smokers, or those with underlying medical conditions such as chronic lung disease or immunosuppression. Outbreaks have been linked to poorly maintained water systems in buildings with large or complex water systems including hospitals and long-term care facilities. Transmission can occur via aerosols from devices such as shower heads, cooling towers, hot tubs, and decorative fountains.

• Facility Requirements to Prevent Legionella Infections: Facilities must develop and adhere to policies and procedures that inhibit microbial growth in building water systems that reduce the risk of growth and spread of legionella and other opportunistic pathogens in water.

• This policy memorandum applies to Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Long-Term Care (LTC). However, this policy memorandum is also intended to provide general awareness for all healthcare organizations.

In manmade water systems, Legionella can grow and spread to susceptible hosts, such as persons who are at least 50 years old, smokers, and those with underlying medical conditions such as chronic lung disease or immunosuppression. Legionella can grow in parts of building water systems that are continually wet, and certain devices can spread contaminated water droplets via aerosolization. Examples of these system components and devices include:

• Hot and cold water storage tanks

• Water heaters

• Water-hammer arrestors

• Pipes, valves, and fittings

• Expansion tanks

• Water filters

• Electronic and manual faucets

• Aerators

• Faucet flow restrictors

• Shower heads and hoses

• Centrally-installed misters, atomizers, air washers, and humidifiers

• Nonsteam aerosol-generating humidifiers

• Eyewash stations • Ice machines

• Hot tubs/saunas

• Decorative fountains

• Cooling towers

• Medical devices (such as CPAP machines, hydrotherapy equipment, bronchoscopes, heater-cooler units)


Per page 3 of the memorandum, "CMS expects Medicare certified healthcare facilities to have water management policies and procedures to reduce the risk of growth and spread of Legionella and other opportunistic pathogens in building water systems."

 

CMS

 

Contact IWC to find out more about our Legionella Risk Assessments/ Water Management Plans & Programs and how we can help your building comply with national, state, and local laws and mandates. 

 

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