The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently shifted its policy on preventive maintenance, allowing healthcare facilities to sometimes implement alternative maintenance programs, according to an article on the Health Facilities Maintenance website.
This change could help healthcare facilities maintain equipment properly while conserving resources, the article said.
The CMS said that any hospital wanting to use alternate equipment management (AEM) programs must develop, implement and maintain a documented AEM program to minimize risks. AEM programs must be based on "generally accepted standards of practice for facility or medical equipment maintenance."