Joint Commission Clarifies Life Safety Code Elements of Performance

The Joint Commission has clarified its expectations regarding its Environment of Care (EC) standard EC.02.03.05, which addresses maintaining fire equipment and building features. It notes that the standard, with its 21 elements of performance, ranks within the top five EC compliance challenges organizations face. Some of the elements of performance vary for accredited organizations, depending on whether the organization is accredited for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services deemed status purposes. The standard applies only to accredited organizations that have the specified equipment and features.