Public Proposal Period to Open for 2018 FGI Guidelines Documents

At the end of the 2014 FGI Guidelines revision cycle, the Facility Guidelines Institute board of directors undertook two colloquiums focused on the future of healthcare. These gatherings brought together a diverse group of healthcare futurists who were tasked with envisioning the range of healthcare environments and trends that may emerge by the year 2026 and to help FGI lay out a roadmap for developing Guidelines documents that will remain relevant over the next several decades. The group noted that healthcare organizations are struggling to manage and reduce costs while improving clinical quality and the patient experience, along with continuing to face the challenges set in motion by shifting reimbursement policies, an aging population, an explosion in demand from newly insured patients, new information technologies and the pursuit of new care models for the coming years. The discussions at these colloquiums have framed the direction for the 2018 revision cycle.

The 2018 Guidelines revision cycle, which is launching this month, will yield three Guidelines documents—one for hospitals, one for outpatient facilities and one for residential health, care and support facilities. As a result of the colloquiums, FGI has funded a research project to identify any existing Guidelines content that goes beyond fundamental requirements for design of a safe and effective environment of care and is directing the Health Guidelines Revision Committee, the body responsible for updating the content of the Guidelines, to move all non-baseline material into a beyond fundamental series of publications. In addition, FGI tasked the HGRC steering committee with identifying topics that need particular attention during this revision cycle. The HGRC will focus on those areas in updating the content of the 2014 Guidelines documents. The topics identified are acoustics, bariatric accommodations, emergency preparedness, geriatric accommodations, infection prevention, security, sustainability and technology.

“The Guidelines are written through a public consensus process, and we welcome all input for change,” says HGRC Chair Douglas Erickson. “These are exciting times, and we need to make sure our documents are properly positioned to reflect the future of healthcare.”

The public will have several opportunities for involvement in the 2018 revision cycle. One is the traditional public proposal period, during which changes may be proposed to the text of the 2014 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Outpatient Facilities and Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities. The public proposal period will be open from June to Oct. 15, using an electronic system that can be accessed through the FGI website at www.fgiguidelines.org.

New is an opportunity for individuals knowledgeable in the subjects listed above to participate on small HGRC topic groups that will consider changes that may be needed to better address these areas across the 2018 documents. Those interested are invited to send a request to participate to Doug Erickson at doug@fgiguidelines.org. Please include the reasons for your interest and something about your knowledge of the topic.