David Thomsen, director, infrastructure and environmental stewardship, has been working with ASHE (American Society of Healthcare Engineers) and leading a change that impacts not only Providence, but all hospitals across the nation.
ASHE submitted a proposal to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 99 for the 2024 edition that if/when Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adopts would become the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) operations standard for healthcare.
David has been involved in ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers), which is primarily concerned with design codes and standards) and ASHE (American Society of Healthcare Engineers), which is concerned with all elements of healthcare engineering, including design and operation, for over a decade at the national level in various roles.
During a recent refresh of a RESO Technical Standard with leaders in RESO, accreditation, quality, surgical services and infection prevention, the challenge of regulatory surveyors utilizing varying design requirements for operations to meet regulatory requirements became apparent. This challenge is not unique to Providence, which created an opportunity for Providence to take a leadership role in re-thinking the existing framework, resulting in the proposal to NFPA 99.
More info
ASHE membership weights in on ventilation standards with public input to NFPA 99’s 2024 edition (ASHE.org)
For more information, please reach out to Dave.