Updated Life Safety Code regulations could encourage more home-like healthcare environments while increasing security against patient wandering, according to an article on the McKnight's website.
The new rules proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could relax restrictions on equipment and furniture in corridors, cooking facilities and furnishings, the article said.
To safeguard againt patient wandering, some facilities might be allowed to lock interior doors, as long as they meet certain standards.
For instance, the locking mechanisms would have to be electrical and release “by independent activation” of smoke detection and sprinkler systems, the article said.
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