S3 Kickoff – What’s New with Joint Commission: Recorded at HFIC! 

Introduction

In this episode of Between the Lines with FGI, cohosts John Williams and Marissa Lamperis Kastrinos are joined by the American Society of Health Care Engineering’s Leah Hummel and Chad Beebe for a conversation recorded live at the Health Care Facilities Innovation conference. The discussion focuses on Joint Commission’s consolidation of some Life Safety and Environment of Care standards, set to take effect in 2026, and what these changes mean for health care facilities. Throughout the episode, the conversation underscores the value of early, ongoing collaboration among facility managers, architects, engineers, and accrediting organizations to design and operate safe, high-quality, patient-focused environments—goals central to FGI’s mission of optimizing the health care physical environment.

About Chad Beebe 

Chad Beebe is the deputy executive director for the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association. He serves on many national panels and committees that develop regulations for the design and construction of health care facilities. 

About Leah Hummel 

Leah Hummel is the Senior Associate Director – Advocacy for The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association. Her 21-year career includes roles as a hospital facility architect and a construction projects and plans reviewer/construction inspector with the North Dakota Department of Health Division of Life Safety and Construction.

Acronyms Mentioned 

• FGI – Facility Guidelines Institute 

• HGRC – Health Guidelines Revision Committee 

• ASHE – American Society for Healthcare Engineering 

• AHA – American Hospital Association 

• AI – Artificial Intelligence 

• CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services  

• NFPA 99 – National Fire Protection Association’s Health Care Facilities Code 

• NFPA 101 – National Fire Protection Association’s Life Safety Code 

• ACHC – Accreditation Commission for Health Care 

• NFPA – National Fire Protection Association 

• PE – Protective Equipment 

• NPG – National Patient Safety Goals or National Performance Goals 

• MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging 

• JCO – Former Joint Commission title  

• AHJs – Authorities Having Jurisdiction 

AIA self-reporting LUs

Facility Guidelines Institute is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number 38744124. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES (cessupport@aia.org). 

This learning program may be self-reported for LU credit through the AIA Continuing Education System. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA. 

To receive AIA self-reported LUs, learners must complete and self-report two of these entire learning programs for 1 LU. 

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American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities