Temp / Hum In POC patient Area

We do not chart on paper logs for room temperature in exam and POC stations. The electronic notification would only come to management of the clinic if the refrigerators went off power and exceeded temps (outpatient not electronically monitored in terms of room temp/environmental temps). Management getting off hours notification like that would force the manager to go to the outpatient clinic and see what was happening with the power outtage. But management would not chart on paper logs about temp deviations. Only the refrigerator logs would have evidence of power outtages/deviations.

We also use paper charts in the areas that don't have electronic monitoring.

We use a wireless temperature monitor that sends alerts if outside the temperature range.  TempTrak is the name of the system and we use it facility wide and in clinics on the refrigerators as well.

We do not monitor ambient temperature for our devices. The devices have internal temperature control and will lock up if out of temp. We do monitor temps for any refrigerated reagents, and according to CAP, only glucose strips stored in bulk require temp monitoring. Once they are out for use, the temp no longer needs to be recorded. For those items - the temps are recorded on a paper log.

We use paper logs as well. Related question - are we required to monitor every single area once the supplies are in use? I understand the need to monitor main supply areas but some of our clinics are spread out throughout and are pushing back on monitoring all 15 areas. We dont montor glucose strip temps once on the hospital floors in each carrier so I was trying to use the same mentality. Thanks!

We use paper logs in some areas as we don't have the automated system yet in all locations.  POC Lab does most of the manual temperature monitoring.  We have only a few areas that can be trusted to take a temp properly and record.  Unfortunately, too many areas cannot seem to take it and fill out a log correctly.

This is how we respond to working reagent/instrument temperature/humidity questions for POC testing areas:
In a POC setting where reagents are dispensed to patient care areas for the purpose of facilitating the provision of patient care with the provision of POC testing; facilities management is required as per the TJC standards (EC.02.06.01 EP13) to establish and maintain "a safe, functional environment. Note: The environment is constructed, arranged, and maintained to foster patient safety, provide facilities for diagnosis and treatment, and provide for special services appropriate to the needs of the community." 
In accordance with this standard, our hospital has an automated system [Trane] which ensures that all the patient care area temperatures are controlled by this building automation system which respects the ASHRAE guidelines. Trane will alarm and alert facilities when temperatures exceed the recommended temperature range set for optimal patient care which is a much more conservative range than what is allowed by the manufacturers' of POC reagents that are stored at room temperature. 

@jessica - have you had success with CAP inspections with this verbage?   This is exactly what I have been looking for

Yes! We had a CAP inspector cite us. We challenged the citation by sending this exact statement and CAP reversed the citation.