Maintenance and Operations - February 2015
Noise levels greatly influence patient comfort
An environment that produces fewer disruptions and allows for more consistent patient rest contributes to faster recovery and lower readmission rates
2/26/2015
Cleanliness concerns cited at Fife hospital
Inspection of U.K.'s Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital found dusty equipment as well as trolleys and chairs contaminated by blood and body fluids
2/25/2015
Boston hospitals battle to keep things running during winter storms
Facilities struggle with shortages of beds, linens and transportation
2/24/2015
Nursing home janitor and cook keep working without pay
Pair spent several days providing round-the-clock care for elderly patients after nursing home closes leaving residents behind
2/24/2015
Executives' strategies to improve hand hygiene
Executives offered novel concepts and suggestions to modify existing strategies
2/24/2015
New standards set for healthcare laundry facilities
Hygienically Clean Advisory Board introduces new testing protocols for certification
2/23/2015
Probe finds some Florida hospitals have infection control issues
Investigators found several Southwest Florida hospitals falling below national standards
2/23/2015
Handwashing leads to more worker dermatitis
Study reveals that dermatitis has increased 4.5 times in healthcare workers following increased hand-hygiene efforts
2/20/2015
South Carolina hospitals gear up for storms
Hospitals throughout the Greenville region prepared for the worst of expected storms
2/20/2015
Deadly tech hazards include patient-handling device errors
With the increasing use of advanced technology in hospitals comes an increasing risk of harm from misuse, according to a blog on the Forbes website
2/19/2015
Illinois nursing home given plan to shape up
Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana instructed to improve conditions, food service
2/18/2015
Top eight risks in healthcare industry
Healthcare risks in South Africa analysis similar to those of worldwide peers
2/18/2015
Dealing with water outages
Planning can help ensure an outage does not cause a hospital shut-down
2/18/2015
EPA developing proposal for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals
Proposal will address concerns over the lack of notification requirements for those facilities that generate, handle or transport 'universal waste' pharmaceuticals
2/17/2015
Outdoor LED signs can promote community
Signage can promote a facility's mission, enhance a sense of community and disseminate of new, timely information
2/17/2015
Improving facility manager 'soft skills'
The ability to communicate the needs of maintenance staff to the C suite is key to promotion
2/17/2015
$75M gift to SF General to buy equipment and technology
Some of the money will be spent on smart beds, which can provide nurses with real-time patient information
2/13/2015
Surgeries cancelled after burst pipe floods Ontario hospital
St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, and it's neighbors face days of cleanup
2/12/2015
Preventing burst pipes Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, preventing burst pipes is discussed by several plumbing professionals
2/11/2015
Walk-in behavioral health clinics gaining popularity
The emerging trend of walk-in behavioral health facilities is providing a potentially better alternative to an emergency room visit, according to an article on the Behavioral Healthcare website
2/10/2015
Sealed TV remotes in patient rooms cut infections
Traditional remote controls are difficult to clean and sanitize
2/9/2015
Hospital security measures effect flower deliveries
New safety and security guidelines from the CDC and Homeland Security are changing the way flowers can be delivered to hospitals
2/6/2015
Whole Foods may expand into healthcare
The popularity of standalone walk-in retail clinics continues to grow, with organizations often leasing space formerly occupied by stores
2/5/2015
UCSF Medical Center offers robot-aided healthcare
Robots will haul blood samples, food, medication, biohazardous waste and other materials and supplies
2/4/2015
Key issues for healthcare facility condition assessments
There are many things to consider before launching the FCA
2/3/2015
Key differences between accreditation programs
Each accreditation organization conducts surveys differently
2/2/2015