Dear [supervisor’s name],

·  According to the latest Joint Commission statistics, in the first half of 2008, the standard that requires Life Safety Code compliance was the top citation in hospitals

·  Hospitals are dealing with multiple emergency management regulations, some of which overlap each other

·  The Joint Commission’s new 2009 scoring system plays a big role in the physical environment standards I oversee

·  Getting staff attention about safety-related issues is a constant challenge in my day-to-day job

I need to keep ahead of the above concerns in the best interest of our facility. I strongly believe my attendance at HCPro’s 3rd Annual Hospital Safety Symposium May 14-15 in Las Vegas will add to my professional development and improve compliance efforts at our facility.

The cost to attend this industry-leading seminar will likely be from $1,500–$1,600 (including airfare and hotel) compared to $2,000–$2,300 it could cost to go to another major conference. I know our training and travel budgets are tight, but my participation in the Hospital Safety Center Symposium is well worth it compared to the savings we potentially realize if I’m able to better educate an employee about a safety risk or I’m able to avoid a deficiency that would otherwise result in a citation.

I can directly apply the following sessions to my work at our facility:

·  “The Joint Commission’s new scoring system: How it will change your future surveys” (presented by Dean Samet, a well-known former Joint Commission engineer)

·  “Better ways to integrate emergency operations planning with your community” (presented by Joseph Cappiello, the former vice president of accreditation field operations at The Joint Commission)

·  An exclusive panel discussion with current executives from The Joint Commission, DNV Healthcare Inc., and the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program

·  Other presentations about meeting Life Safety Code challenges, environment of care compliance, and new ways to educate staff members about safety

I will also have the rare opportunity to talk to the presenters directly and meet with fellow safety professionals from around the country. You can link to a full description of the symposium at http://www.greeley.com/seminars/seminar_detail.cfm?contentType=overview&oc_id=6580.

Joint Commission surveyors, OSHA representatives, or state inspectors can walk in our doors unannounced at any time. I don’t want to fall behind on our compliance efforts at a point when we all must handle additional duties and be more efficient than ever. I think you’ll agree that my attendance at the Hospital Safety Center Symposium is a worthwhile investment.

Sincerely,

[Your name]