Backup power is a requirement for any Ambulatory Surgical
Center (ASC) and is a critical safety consideration for every Office
Based Surgery (OBS) environment.
With an aging and strained electrical grid, power outages are
more common than ever. Natural disasters, severe weather, and
utility failures are among the leading causes for these events.
Without reliable power, the ability to run critical operating room equipment is lost, exposing patients
to alarming risk. An emergency backup power system can eliminate this risk by supplying
power long enough to finish the procedure safely and relocate the patient if need be. dangerous
Designing and installing an emergency backup power system comes with its troubles however.
It requires an understanding of multiple codes and regulations, and ensuring compliance with
the right ones can be overwhelming.
Besides, we have observed that no single party fully understands every aspect of the required
standby power system. As a result, designed systems often end up being oversized, costing
much more than necessary, or undersized and failing to meet regulations.
We hope to share our extensive knowledge with you, so that all involved parties can collaborate
to optimize the most practical system for the requirement. The purpose of this guide is to simplify
this process in a document that engineers, architects, physicians and consultants can all
find useful.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN FIND WITHIN THIS GUIDE:
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN FIND WITHIN THIS GUIDE:
Accreditation Requirement
NFPA 99 Guidelines
Comparison of Backup Power System Types
Why Battery Backup is the Most Viable Solution
WHY YOU NEED EMERGENCY POWER
What Type of Power System Does Your Surgery Center Require? – There are no concrete
requirements or regulations that stipulate what type of power system best fits various
surgery centers. Determining the best approach is often a haphazard process involving
estimates and best guesses that might let you down when it matters. Here, we provide a
handy process and flowchart-style diagram to help you rapidly figure out exactly what your
surgery center requires.
Types of Surgery Centers – With the shift from inpatient to outpatient care, we are seeing
an increased focus on swiftly getting medical care to those who need it. A critical step towards
identifying the type of power system for your surgery center is understanding what
type of facility you operate and the nature of work you do. We explain the types of surgery
centers that have surfaced due to this trend and how their emergency power needs compare.
How State, Local, and Medicare Requirements Affect You – States have differing requirements
for surgery centers, and local regulations can dilute these even further. Codes
mandating standards relating to electrical, mechanical, and other systems must be strictly
followed, but how do you cut through the noise of a multitude of state, local, and agency
codes? Learn here how these requirements might affect your surgery center and what
codes will be accepted where your center is based.
UNDERSTANDING ACCREDITATION AND COMPLIANCE
What Accreditation Company is Suited to Your Practice? – Although they carry a lower accreditation
burden than inpatient centers, accreditation is still a huge asset for outpatient
surgery centers. Accreditation assures patients of the pedigree of your surgery center and
the quality of care they can expect to receive there. But there are various accreditation bodies
to choose from, and most have varying requirements and standards. Learn about these
bodies here and how they fit the accreditation needs of outpatient surgery centers.
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Codes for Outpatient Surgery Backup Power – – Every aspect of the
design, installation, and maintenance of healthcare facilities in the US
is strictly regulated, and emergency power systems are no different. What are the codes
and standards that must be complied with as you optimize your backup power system?
This section provides an overview of the most critical codes to comply with.
What is Required to Comply with NFPA 99 Code? – NFPA 99 specifically requires a source
of backup power, in addition to other standards that apply to electrical, mechanical,
plumbing, and medical gas and vacuum systems. Surgery and health centers are required
to maintain the appropriate standards to ensure a high quality of care and good patient
outcomes. We explain what the code requires in relation to outpatient care centers, particularly
the requirement for an EES.
Learn more about emergency power
outage FOR OUTPATIENT SURGERY
With our new “Planning Guide”
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Learn more about emergency power
outage FOR OUTPATIENT SURGERY
With our new “Planning Guide”
What is an EES (Essential Electric System)? – Essential Electrical Systems are required to
provide alternate power for surgery centers, in addition to the main utility power system.
NFPA 99 details three specific branches that must be supported by an EES, and which are
expected to receive power in order of importance. This section explains the three branches
that must receive power from an EES as well as the components that will require power
within these branches.
Types of Essential Electrical Systems – EES may be Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3 systems. Each
of these has specific spaces it must inhabit based on a risk assessment under NFPA 99. The
applicable categories of risk include four categories, each of which sits on a sliding scale
from highest to lowest. Determining what risk categories apply to the spaces within your
surgery center will be critical to identifying what EES systems are required to provide emergency
backup to those spaces. We explain each of these EES types and what risk category
spaces they must serve in this section.
Equipment Per Specialty – Beyond merely explaining the considerations surgery centers
should note as they optimize their backup power system, this section provides a visual tool
to aid stakeholders. Here, this guide contains a comprehensive chart to help visualize what
equipment is required to complete a procedure in each specialty after a power failure.
Identifying the exact equipment you cannot afford to lose in the event of a power outage
will be important to determining your emergency power needs.
storage.
CALCULATE THE SAVINGS ON YOUR BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM INVESTMENT:
When Does a Fuel Powered Generator Make Sense? – NFPA 99 specifies two different types
of alternate power sources: battery systems and fuel powered generator sets. Fuel powered
generator sets potentially provide a lot of backup power. However, this will typically come
with sizable operating and maintenance costs. This section assesses fuel powered generator
sets to determine when they will be useful and their advantages for surgery centers.
When Are Battery Systems More Practical? – Battery technology has seen significant advances
within the past decade. But are they suited to the backup power needs of your surgery
care, especially considering the varying, and sometimes heavy, power loads that might
be required? Learn how they compare to fuel powered generators within this section.
Fuel Generator Considerations – If you have decided to install a fuel powered generator
as your surgery center’s backup power system, what should you keep in mind? Will installation
space be a concern for you? Or will you require a modular solution for mobile use or
stationary installation as the circumstances demand? These are the most important considerations
around installing a fuel powered generator system, including the advantages and
disadvantages of choosing this solution.
storage.
Battery Backup System Considerations – Are you leaning more towards a battery backup
system? Then you should know the advantages and limitations that this system might
bring, as well as the considerations to note before installing the system. Will a battery backup
system provide the power you need to operate your most important equipment? Will
it provide sufficient power to last through even an extended outage, especially one that
occurs around a busy period? This section analyzes battery backup systems.
storage.
FUEL BACKUP SETUP
BATTERY BACKUP SETUP
DEPLOYING A MEDIPRODUCTS
SOLUTION
Mediproducts System Types – How does Mediproducts support your surgery center’s
quest to optimize a backup power system that is molded to your emergency power needs?
Explore our modular battery backup systems here, including what power needs they might
be procured to handle and how they scale to cater to the emergency needs of a growing
surgery center.
Common Misconceptions About Battery Backup – Due to their often modular nature and
unobtrusive operation, there’s a tendency towards skepticism at the power of battery backup
systems. In this final section we address some common misconceptions about battery
systems, including questions about their capacity and maintenance needs.
CALCULATE THE SAVINGS ON YOUR BATTERY BACKUP SYSTEM INVESTMENT: