* EC: – Test Driving Your New Building; Why you should perform both facility commissioning and clinical operations commissioning before you open for business[®] [REF: EOC, LDR, MD, RN, SFT] EC News, August 2014, Vol 17, #8, Pg 8 JCe1408_07

This article advocates for “facility commissioning of (a new or renovated) physical structure and clinical operations commissioning of the human practices that (will) occur in that structure…before officially/fully opening its doors for service. Although new buildings are rare, leaders could find it just as useful to apply the principle of commissioning to new and/or renovated units.  The basic idea in facility commissioning would be to test the key systems and hardware for proper functioning.  For clinical operations commissioning, TJC has defined a framework of the following 7 ‘flows’ or clinical factors that should be evaluated:
1 – Patients: Their comfort and safety
2 – Providers: Ability to safely provide care/perform critical functions
3 – Visitors/Families: Safety and ability to navigate
4 – Supplies: Access to, distribution and use of
5 – Equipment: Access to/Storage of and staff competency for use
6 – Medication:  Safe management of all phases (e.g., delivery, storage, administration, etc.)
7 – Information Technology:
The article also includes 4 recommended steps for facility commissioning and 5 for clinical operations commissioning.
Tip: Develop and run scenarios for the simulation of key daily processes on the new/renovated unit to test the 7 flow areas referenced above.