The Holiday Season and Healthcare - Considerations for Healthcare Providers
The Holiday Season and Healthcare - Considerations for Healthcare Providers
The holiday season is a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends. Depending on your level of enthusiasm, you may be someone who prepares for celebrations’ month in advance. Of course, there are varying levels of cheer and excitement when it comes to holiday planning. It is important to consider that not everyone is as enthusiastic about the holiday season. The rising cost of living and expenses associated with holiday celebrations can contribute to increased stress levels for many. We encourage healthcare professionals to be mindful of others to raise awareness of patients and team members who may be silently struggling around them.
Here are a few tips to help identify those in need of warmth and kindness this holiday season:
Administrators and Leaders
- Revisit and repost resources available for inpatients and outpatients who may need follow up care and monitoring. Re-educate healthcare providers on how to reference available resources and contact information if needed.
- Check in with your team members. Be sure to ask how they are doing. Acknowledgement of someone’s well-being goes a long way. This is especially important in extremely busy and stressful healthcare settings.
- Offer flexible scheduling options and split-shifts, if possible, to allow staff to have a fair opportunity to enjoy even a partial holiday with family.
- Allow employees to hold a potluck or a white elephant gift exchange maintaining a minimal cost cap.
- Allow team members to decorate in accordance with regulatory compliance standards. Check on out our previously published newsletter for more information. Employee engagement goes a long way when it comes to boosting spirits!
- Post information about employee assistance programs or resources available for those who may be struggling with depression during the holiday season.
Healthcare Providers
- Be sure to continue to screen patients for depression and risk of suicide. It is okay to deviate from the computer generated EMR tools that you use every day. Feel free to use a warm, more personal touch when talking with patients. There is nothing wrong with asking a patient if there is anything that may be troubling them that they would like to discuss.
- If you determine that a patient may be at risk, be sure to enlist the help of additional support services for both in-patients and outpatients.
- If you determine that a patient is having suicidal ideation, immediately put the appropriate safety measures in place and providers responsible for the care and safe disposition of the patient.
We have immense gratitude for all healthcare professionals, especially those working long and hard hours during the holiday season to keep us safe. From all of us here at HCE Global, we would like to wish you and yours a joyous and safe holiday season!
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February may be the shortest month of the year, but in the world of healthcare facilities and regulatory oversight, it often feels like the longest. Between the launch of the Joint Commission’s Accreditation 360 and the sudden shifting of federal staffing mandates, your compliance "To-Do" list likely looks more like a "To-Don't-Panic" list. Below is your breakdown of the critical updates, deadlines, and strategic shifts defining February 2026. Regulatory Roundup: The "Great Repeal" of 2026 The most significant news hitting desks this month is the formal pivot in Long-Term Care (LTC) staffing. CMS Staffing Mandate Repealed : Effective February 2, 2026 , CMS officially rescinded the 2024 minimum staffing requirements (the 3.48 HPRD mandate). The Fine Print : While the "one-size-fits-all" numbers are gone, the Enhanced Facility Assessment requirements are still very much alive. Regulators are moving away from rigid ratios toward a "competency-based" model. You must still prove your staffing levels match your specific resident acuity. What it means for you : It’s time to double-check your assessment documentation. Auditors aren't counting heads as strictly, but they are scrutinizing the logic behind your staffing decisions. HIPAA & Privacy: The February 16th Pivot If you haven't updated your Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) yet, you are officially behind. February 16, 2026, marked the deadline for compliance with the final rule aligning 42 CFR Part 2 (Substance Use Disorder records) with HIPAA. Lawful Holder Doctrine : Any practice receiving SUD records is now a "lawful holder," triggering new obligations for how those records are handled in legal proceedings. Reproductive Health Privacy : New prohibitions are in place regarding the disclosure of PHI for investigations into lawful reproductive healthcare. Security Rule Modernization : Th e HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is phasing out the "addressable" vs. "required" distinction. By late 2026, every safeguard will be mandatory. Tech & Sustainability: Do Less with Less The 2026 facility mantra has shifted from "do more with less" to "do less with less"—meaning we are using data to eliminate wasted effort. Unified Platforms : The era of separate spreadsheets for maintenance, energy, and compliance is over. Integrated CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) tools are now the standard for audit-ready reporting. The "Heart" of the Facility : Since it’s American Heart Month, it’s the perfect time to run a Life Safety check on AEDs and Cardiac Crash Carts. Ensure your battery replacement logs are digitized—paper tags are so 2024. A Note on Candor : Let’s be real—the repeal of the staffing mandate might feel like a relief, but it’s actually a trap for the unprepared. Without a fixed ratio to hide behind, your clinical judgment is the only thing standing between you and a "Statement of Deficiencies." Don't let the lack of a mandate lead to a lack of a plan.
A Special Briefing for Healthcare Leaders and Providers
Compliance, Quality, and the Path Forward
