Healthcare Facilities Management Society of New Jersey, Inc.
Serving Healthcare Since 1949



***General Membership Meeting***

Minutes to the Meeting of
February 17, 2005

President-elect John DiGirolomo, CHFM called the meeting to order on Thursday, February 17, 2005, at the Galloping Hill Inn, Union, New Jersey commencing at 6:10 p.m. A moment of silence was observed. The Pledge of Allegiance was conducted followed by self-introductions by all.

SOCIAL SPONSOR

Tom Kuster of Dome -Tech Solar (Tel. (732) 661-0144 ext 130) was the sponsor and presenter for the evening. His topic for the evening was Using and Applying Solar Energy For Electric Cost Savings.
Mr. Kuster presented an overview of current roof-mounted solar technology, as well as a detailed review of the financial incentive programs available for hospitals and institutions in New Jersey.  The New Jersey Clean Energy Program provides 60% capital rebates, as well as a market for Solar Renewable Energy Certificates.  These incentives yield a 5-6 year payback.  Hospitals are good candidates for solar systems, given their relatively high energy usage, day/summer demand peaking (from HVAC), and community/environmental missions.  While hospital roofs are often populated with hardware, Mr. Kuster explained that systems can be installed in the void spaces.  Solar in hospitals was seen as a viable part of a comprehensive energy management strategy, since solar electricity is an excellent hedge against fuel price volatility and energy inflation.  Finally, Mr. Kuster encouraged interested facility managers to apply for rebates, while funding at current levels remains available.

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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes

BREAK FOR DINNER

COMMITTEE REPORTS

WEBSITE

The website has been enhanced. (www.hfmsnj.org) This will help us to get information out to our members. This is a members only site. Each members will get a password to let them access information from our library consisting of online documents. Pay Pal is now available. Any inquiries regarding posting to the website should be directed to the Webmaster. There will be a sign with enhanced website information displayed at meetings.

JCAHO

Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, New Jersey, was surveyed. John Schliewenz followed Statement of Conditions and checked and identified areas. The survey was by an engineer, not an administrator.

OLD BUSINESS

No old business to report.

NEW BUSINESS

Study on how effective sprinklers are. This study is being conducted by the Sprinkler Fitters Union and  the National Fire Sprinkler Association

SAFETY

There were two handouts at this evening’s meeting. One is relative to PCA pumps and the other is relative to fire extinguishers. See copy of handouts attached hereto and made a part hereof.

SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Bridges run is April 29^th. Please bring any donations such as clothes and toiletries to any monthly meeting. A reminder will be sent one week prior to meeting to the membership via the internet. The Social Justice Committee is organizing the building of a ramp for the sister of one of our members. She suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. This is planned for spring. Please send inquiries on this topic to gankior@aol.com.

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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes

VENDOR COMMITTEE

Vendor appreciation day for the last two years was a trade show. A new plan is to have a barbeque with vendor booths. We want to try to make it a fun day; a day at the races, perhaps Monmouth Park. There is a hand out survey which should be returned tonight. Tentative time for barbeque will be some time in August. Mary Padgett will report at our next meeting.

ALL-DAY SEMINAR

An issue was raised inquiring whether or not vendors could have one hour at the All-Day Seminar.

GOLF OUTING

Save A Date notices were mailed. If you want to sponsor a tee or a hole, please contact Roger Ennis at (908) 964-0408. The date of the outing is Tuesday, June 7, 2005.

LEVELS OF AFFILIATION

Oscar is nearing completion of his task. Please respond in a timely manner to his request for information.

SECRETARY

Minutes are published on our website. Executive members need to send in their reports in a timely fashion.

TREASURER

Robert Thompson reported that we are solvent. If you haven’t done so, please send completed membership forms in with your dues. Company check should have your name and purpose of funds written on the check.

ADVOCACY

AIA Guidelines on Design and Construction of Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities

The comment period for responses to the Draft Guidelines was extended to February 28, 2005. Draft comments are posted on the web site for member’s use. They should be downloaded, customized for the member’s institution, edited as needed and sent to the AIA Guideline committee. The more responses the committee receives, the more likely they are to consider them. Complete instructions on how to find, edit, cut and paste are on the web site.

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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes

Boiler inspections and Certifications

The website now has posted the boiler inspection form developed for member’s use. Insurance inspectors are no longer issuing certificates at the time of inspection. Instead, they are reporting their findings to the State, Bureau of Pressure Vessels and Boilers who eventually issue a certificate. This leaves the hospital without proof that the boilers have been inspected for review by AHJs or JCAHO until the State certification arrives. Use the form to document inspections as needed.

Third Party Surveys

Many healthcare facilities retain the services of third parties to solicit comments from patients, post discharge, on conditions and services provided during the patient’s stay at the facility. Some questions may solicit negative comment on conditions over which facility managers have no control. We have contacted one surveyor, Press Ganey, to determine how they formulate survey questions with the objective of possibly getting the questions more facility friendly.

Levels of Affiliation

A summary of 2004 advocacy activities and copies of advocacy letters was prepared and provided to Oscar Gonzalez for inclusion in the Levels of Affiliation binder.

EDUCATION

Our topic for February is solar energy for healthcare energy savings. Funds for reimbursement may be available from the State.

All-day CHFM Course is in the planning. Joint meeting with Delaware Valley/HEADV is possible.

Tonight’s educational session was attended by 29 regular members and 47 professional and professional associate members.

 
 






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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes

MEMBERSHIP

The membership Committee has closed all applications in-process and future applications other than Healthcare Employees in a Management Position or the staff of same. The list below constitutes the last to be brought into the organization until the audit date of late  December 2004:
 
Jose Moniz               Regular member          St Joseph's Regional Medical Center
 
Michael Volk                   Pro-associate                Bergen Industrial Supply
 
Suzanne M. Bonney       Professional                  Sweet Construction
 
Richard Spano                 Pro-associate                 Advance Furnace & Air Duct Cleaning
 
Jay Sanders             Pro-associate                 Melrose Enterprises


***Motion: Bill Anderson made a motion to accept the aforementioned new members. Oscar Gonzales seconded said motion. The Motion was passed and the new members were welcomed.***

NEWSLETTER

Charlie Church requested that everyone please send articles. He is asking for information of interest to all healthcare facilities professionals. It is requested that anyone sending articles please try to send articles via the internet.

DATABASE

Oscar Gonzalez asked if everyone could update their information in the database.

CODES AND STANDARDS

Proposed N.J. Senate Bill S-1963. This Bill requires use of luminescent materials in exit pathways of high-rise structures. A high rise structure is defined as any structure seven stories and higher. Hospitals will be exempt.

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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes

EAB & EAB REPORT

A survey of hospital construction cost will be undertaken by John Schliewenz. He needs some information from those working on current projects.

New Jersey Engineering Advisory Board – Minutes of February 16, 2005

Attended:
Steve Altman, NJHA
Adam Beder NJHA
Christine Bottiglieri, Cooper Hospital University
James Corueil, St. Joseph’s
Ron Darrow, Kennedy Health Sys
Sean McGovern, Cooper Hospital University
Sally Roslow, NJHA
John Schliewenz, Holy Name Hosp
Henry K. Schuurman, Christian Healthcare
George Thomas, NBIMC

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John Schliewenz brought the meeting to order at 1:30 pm by calling for all present to rise, face the flag of our nation, the United States of America and pledge allegiance to our country.
Minutes of the January 19, 2005 meeting were reviewed and approved as corrected.

Old Business:
NJHA has started the generator project – electrical roughing in progress.
The draft 2006 AIA Guidelines continues to be available for comment until February 28, 2005.

Emergency Preparedness:
Jim Corueil advised that the “Chemical Emergency Hotline” telephone number was 1-800-535-5053.
Jim also reported on article in “January issue of EOC Leader” suggesting we keep change for the pay phone at hand in case that is the only telephone access that is available in an emergency.

“TopOff3 Update” Training has commenced at NJHA for this international emergency preparedness exercise. Bill Anderson gave a 30 minute presentation on the facility aspect of emergency preparedness for NJHA. See NJHA website for TopOff3 information

Environment:
Jim Corueil distributed an article from depnews@dep.state.nj.us citing “NJ received top marks, an A, for its efforts in reducing state mercury air emissions . . . for advocating strong federal policies on mercury.“

DCA:
Responsibility for regulation of “Group Houses” will shift from DOH to DCA in two weeks.

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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes






Fire Codes:
Fire Sprinkler Fitters Union and National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) have hired Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, to study the use of sprinklers in high-rise buildings. The report is due in late May, 2005.

Range hood bulletin – NJ Fire Department Inspectors directed to concentrate on kitchen cooking hoods. Inspection companies just identify problems and issue an inspection sticker. Fire Board is recommending that the six month inspection and testing sticker to be color coded to denote passed or failed.

APIC:
CDC Conference on nosocomial infections will be attended by Pat Lafaro. NJ Hospitals participating in study showing a dramatic reduction in infection rates. Reporting criteria still not established.

ADA:
Recently a NJ hospital has received a complaint regarding their failure to provide a wheelchair requested by a handicapped patient. The written hospital policy indicated they would furnish one upon request.

Bio-Med:
PCA Pumps to be hooked into nurse call systems. Most have no remote alarm outputs.

Legislative Affairs:
Adam Beder distributed a handout indicating that NHJA efforts to modify Bill S-1963 to exclude licensed healthcare facilities from having to use “Luminescent Materials” in high rise exit pathways, was successful. Pending Ethics Bill will require anyone dealing with legislators on behalf of their employer more than twenty hours a year, to register as a Lobbyist .

Group Purchasing:
NJHA Group Purchasing is now in the process of collecting data for the hospitals regarding gas consumption and current accounts.

New Business:
John Schliewenz requested the EAB survey hospital construction costs. He distributed a sample survey that suggested the costs be broken down into six categories as follows:

1. Consultants & Fees
2. General,
3. Construction
4. HVAC
5. Electrical
6. Plumbing & Sprinkler

The completion date, type of project and square foot area would be needed and the county. This will be brought up at the two ASHE Chapters to see if members are interested in providing information. Anyone contributing will receive a copy of the data. No hospital names will be used.

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February 17, 2005 General Membership Meeting Minutes



Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 at 1:30 PM.

Adjournment at 3:15pm
Submitted by John Schliewenz, Chairman

EDUCATION

March, 2005, design for bioterrorism. Also April/May Facility Management review class. The class will go over topics that affect our healthcare members. Vendors invite facility manager. Our purpose is to educate! All-day possible joint session formal review course CHFM.

ADVOCACY

Advocacy works. Item 1: Damper legislation was defeated at the last NFPA meeting. The new proposed standard is 100% every six years instead of 100% every four years. Item 2: Bedrail comment period expires December 31, 2005. Item 3: Battery powered emergency lights. See article regarding battery powered emergency lights in anesthesia areas attached hereto and made a part hereof. Item 4: Permit for shower valve – healthcare exempt. Item 5: AIA guidelines comment period extended to February 28, 2005.

Please participate in commenting to the appropriate authorities regarding any of the issues aforementioned. Information regarding these issues is posted on our website.

ASHE

The ASHE presentation was made by Joe Rawson. ASHE is implementing e-learning. The Planning and Design Conference is scheduled for March 7-9, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee. The 42^nd Annual Conference and Technical Exhibition is scheduled for July 10-13, 2005 in Anaheim, California.

The following is an excerpt taken from the ASHE website:

Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) A mark of distinction.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) Certification Center (AHA-CC) manages the CHFM Program. In order to be designated a CHFM, you must successfully complete the examination.
CHFM provides both internal and external rewards. As a Certified Healthcare Facility Manager, you will:

* Enjoy the pride of recognition of being among the elite in a critical field of healthcare management.


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* Have a premier credential based on a sound assessment that provides distinction in an increasingly competitive marketplace. [End of excerpt]

There are only 556 certified CHFM nationwide. ASHE is sending out educators to assist in preparing for the exam. Please visit www.ASHE.org. It has been made user friendly. New ASHE awards given to Crystal Eagle, Regional leader. See ASHE website for details.

MEMBERSHIP DUES AND MISCELLANEOUS

Second notice for dues. Non-payment will result in your being removed from the organization. Pay Pal is now available through the website. All accounts have our new name.

AD JOURNAL

The new book will be completed and available this April.

GOOD OF ORDER

Mr. Jim Shoemaker had knee replacement. He was at Jefferson Hospital. He is at Jefferson Hospital., Philadelphia. Joseph Berlesky had a death in his family.

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:55 P.M.

See attachments below and made a part hereof