Safety - February 2015
Q&A on positive latching doors
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about positive latching doors
2/27/2015
Design considerations for biocontainment units
Design should provide safety and peace of mind to caregivers, while facilitating staff efficiency and patient-centered care
2/26/2015
Major Pakistani hospitals lack fire safety equipment
Public sector hospitals in Karachi require safety equipments and other rescue measures
2/25/2015
Accreditation surveys offer lessons in compliance
AAAHC has analyzed compliance data from surveys to identify the accreditation standards with which organizations struggle
2/24/2015
Important hospital patient safety supplies
Article lists five tools, supplies and resources hospitals need to have to ensure patient safety
2/24/2015
Cornwall hospital reopens after safety problems
Stratton Community Hospital reopens after safety repairs
2/23/2015
San Diego hospitals fined for safety lapses
Two facilities were cited after an investigation found the facilities had dangerous practices in place that caused or likely caused serious injury or death to patients
2/23/2015
Managing long-term costs of infection control
Healthcare organizations are looking for ways to better prepare facilities for potential pandemics and widespread viral outbreaks
2/20/2015
Life Safety Code Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about the process CMS uses to adopt a new edition of the Life Safety Code
2/20/2015
Ice machines can be toxic breeding grounds
If commercial ice machines aren't regularly emptied and cleaned, biofilm can form and turn the bin into a low-tech bio-breeding ground
2/19/2015
Designing for infection control after Ebola scare
The healthcare community is taking advantage of renewed awareness of the importance of infection prevention to educate each other on infection control
2/19/2015
Access control systems can boost security, workflow for healthcare facilities
New technology allows an authorized user to open locked cabinets and other access points throughout a facility with a single swipe card, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
2/19/2015
Fire disables Maryland cardiac lab
Lab at University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air suffered major damage after an electrical fire
2/19/2015
Most hospitals not protecting nurses from injuries
There are more than 35,000 back and other injuries among nursing employees every year
2/12/2015
Hospital's active shooter drill offers lessons to other facilities
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla exercise designed to maximize survival in emergency situations
2/12/2015
Fire door smoke detectors Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about fire door smoke detectors
2/12/2015
Focus on Ebola leaves gap in attention to other outbreaks
In survey, 79 percent reported that such focus reduced capacity to prepare for other disease threats
2/11/2015
Risk assessment toolkit developed
The Center for Health Design is completing a three-year grant project to develop a proactive risk assessment tool for facility design, according to an article on the Behavioral Healthcare website
2/11/2015
Hazard vulnerability assessment is a valuable design tool
HVAs are one method of measuring the probability of certain hazards
2/10/2015
Investigations help curb accidents
Accident investigations are done to identify contributing factors that led up to the event, according to an article on the Long-Term Living website
2/10/2015
Can Disney MagicBands work for hospitals?
A MagicBand could replace patients' ID bracelets and allow patients to hold up their wrist to open doors or check into new areas
2/9/2015
Website offers resources to reduce healthcare facilities risk
Safety Central includes flyers, videos, articles and resources
2/9/2015
2015 AIA Institute honors Texas urgent care center
Legacy ER & Urgent Care recognized in the healthcare category
2/9/2015
California considers allowing cameras in senior care facilities
State may allow some form of videotaping in assisted living facilities
2/9/2015
A human hospital infrastructure can save lives
Safeguards within a healthcare facility infrastructure can bring better outcomes, better patient safety and cost reductions
2/9/2015
New technologies measure hand-washing compliance
More accurate readings often lead to discouraging numbers - or a 'new baseline'
2/6/2015
Hospital reviews ligature hazards after patient's hanging
Inspectors found ligature risks months before incident at Bootham Park Hospital
2/6/2015
N.Y. hospital fined for exposing workers to bloody, soiled laundry
New York Presbyterian-Columbia University Medical Center hit with more than $201K in violations
2/6/2015
What hospitals do to keep facility secure
Facilities say procedures and protocols are in place to help protect both the public and staff members
2/5/2015
Proper hand hygiene depends on the right tools, methods
Not all hand-washing methods and soaps are the same
2/5/2015
New fabric to prevent cross-contamination
Anti-microbial textile provides protection against the transmission of infection in healthcare facilities
2/5/2015
Security increased after nurse is wounded in shooting at Los Angeles clinic
Facility on MLK Jr. Community Hospital campus will install metal detectors
2/4/2015
Portable fire extinguishers Q&A
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about portable fire extinguishers
2/4/2015
University students build a device to monitor hand washing in hospitals
Northern Arizona University students develop tech to curb hospital infections
2/3/2015
Joint Commission offers Ebola resources for laboratories, healthcare facilities
Lab Focus issue available for download on website
2/3/2015
Can there be too much hospital security?
Facilities question whether their security plans are enough - or too much
2/2/2015