Have you ever asked yourself, heard from your staff or even your child, “how am I supposed to know all of that?”
Have you ever given or heard the response, “because you should know?” Or, worse yet, “Because it’s your job!”
We know what we know because we are curious enough to figure it out. Or, our curiosity led us to seek it out through education! As CDM, CFPPs, we did just that. We became certified in foodservice management and food safety!
Do we have all the answers to our job’s daily questions? Are we all Jeopardy masters, able to clear the game board? Probably not, BUT we are expected to know where to look and how to share what we know!
Here are some pointers that I found helpful to become my foodservice department’s food “master:”
Be the Regulations Master - Seek, Know, and Share These- Federal Regulations: These dictate both hospital and long-term care facilities. The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) §483.60 regulations are the main foundation for managing staffing, sanitation, safety, and more.
Learn more
- USDA Food Code (applies to LTC, Hospital, & AL): This is updated every four years for a full update with supplemental versions every two years.
Learn moreThis is referenced in both the federal regulations (CMS & The Joint Commission (TJC)) and your state-specific regulations. Pay close attention to your state regulations for the food code year they list. Not all of them have updated to the most current full 2017 food code.
- TJC - (Hospital): Local Health Inspectors, FDA Food Code, and CMS surveyors could survey your kitchen. This will follow your site-specific licensure/accreditations.
Learn more
- State Specific (LTC, Hospital & AL): Find your state-specific information via the State Healthcare Survey Department or seek your administrator’s help!
I created a Foodservice Department's survey action plan that includes audits and in-services for compliance in the areas needed based on these reviews. Here’s the plan:
- Six months prior to our annual survey due date (survey window is 12-15 months from previous exit), conduct a review of the past year’s survey tags (deficiencies).
- Review any neighbor kitchen’s current survey tags. You can learn a lot from the “missteps” of others, so listen well to your local grapevine or by chatting with local CDM, CFPPs. Don’t forget to visit the
ANFPConnect community and chat survey tags (and everything else) with ANFP colleagues. Networking is knowledge!
- In addition, budget to attend healthcare association meetings (Leading Age, American Healthcare Association, Hospital Association) for the current information on regulatory updates.
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super suggestion—save these links to your computer’s favorites for quick references!
As we continue to grow in life, our families and our careers allow our curiosity to blossom as well! Jeopardy should always be our challenge; a new day, a new game, and plenty to share! Your Double Jeopardy is having both the CDM and the CFPP behind your name!
#CDMsMatterIf you have any questions, please e-mail
regs@ANFPonline.org.