Blogs - November 2019
Close to 1,200 patients at risk at Indiana hospital due to sterilization lapses
One of the hospital's surgical instrument sterilization technicians failed to complete a necessary step
11/27/2019
New Stanford hospital inspired by Apple
The hospital has automated guided vehicles to assist with laundry delivery and trash disposal
11/27/2019
Canadian hospital hit for infection control issues and use of duct tape
Other maintenance issues include the need to resurface counters and wall in part of the neonatal intensive care unit
11/27/2019
Washington hospital cancels procedures after surgical tray issues
Flecks of plastic were found on some surgical trays
11/27/2019
Flushing rim sinks provide hygienic disposal of clinical waste
Sinks help maintain clean conditions for clinics and healthcare settings
11/27/2019
Legionnaires’ disease found at Ohio nursing home
Lake County General Health District confirms disease at Mentor facility
11/26/2019
10 Seattle hospital ORs closed through January after mold outbreak
The hospital is installing in-room HEPA filtration
11/26/2019
Innovative technology helps lower costs, overcome labor shortage and Increase safety
Technology can help close the labor gap, and it can also lower costs and increase efficiency by helping healthcare organizations’ facilities and housekeeping departments do more with less
11/26/2019
Expand the maintenance departments equipment arsenal
Renting portable cooling units, lifts and generators can supplement maintenance tools
11/26/2019
CDC puts Candida auris and Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter in urgent category
C. difficile, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriacese and drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae are also considered 'urgent'
11/25/2019
Scientists developing ‘smart toilet’ to collect health data
Some of the available information is alcohol consumption, caloric intake, and how quickly a person metabolizes certain medicine
11/25/2019
Indoor air quality in healthcare facilities: How to keep your patients and staff healthy
A new report suggests the issue is also being impacted by old and unsuitable infrastructure
11/25/2019
Infection control in five Irish hospitals hampered by overcrowding
A new report suggests the issue is also being impacted by old and unsuitable infrastructure
11/25/2019
California power outage disrupted patient care on Northern Coast
A majority of the state’s counties lost power for portions of October
11/25/2019
Kids 'drive' themselves to OR at N.H. hospital
The car is remote controlled by a staff member, but the children feel they are in charge of the wheel
11/22/2019
Superhero window washers pop in on Pa. children’s hospital
After peering through the windows, the superheroes made their way inside to meet with the kids and hand out a few gifts
11/22/2019
U.S. health systems help assess Dorian-damaged Bahamian hospitals
Facilities experts helping determine whether to repair or replace
11/22/2019
Maintenance is an investment, not a cost center
Engaged technicians can help managers revamp a department's image and drive an organization's success
11/22/2019
HHS releases healthcare cybersecurity best practices
Guidance includes 10 best practices for mitigating hacking threats
11/22/2019
Healthcare data security at crisis levels
Cyber criminals have used x-ray machines to launch malware attacks
11/21/2019
Workers plan strike over UC hospitals outsourcing
UC Davis Health have not canceled any patient appointments in preparation for today's strike
11/21/2019
Nine in 10 healthcare organizations still using fax machines
Thirty-nine percent using pagers
11/21/2019
UK hospitals addressing structural issues
Seven healthcare facilities across England have building safety concerns
11/21/2019
Hospitals don't have to report waterborne infections
Tennessee and Oregon are the only states that require hospitals to report waterborne NTM infections
11/21/2019
Cancer cluster may be linked to medical equipment sterilization facility
The facility uses cancer-causing ethylene oxide in the sterilization process
11/20/2019
Seattle Children’s hospital faces lawsuit over mold issues
Lawsuit claims that the teen contracted meningitis in March 2018 from the Aspergillus mold
11/20/2019
CDC says HAIs are decreasing
Clostridium difficile infections were down by 12 precent, between 2017 and 2018
11/20/2019
Buck crashes through Tennessee hospital window
Three patients at an outpatient clinic at Tennova Healthcare-North Knoxville Medical Center in Powell were evaluated for minor injuries
11/19/2019
New York identifies healthcare facilities with Candida auris
New York is the first state to release the names
11/19/2019
Water-borne infection hitting patients across the country
More than 150 hospitals across the country reporting infected patients
11/19/2019
2018 saw record number of Legionellosis cases reported
Rising temperatures, longer summers and the increased popularity of environmentally-friendly buildings may be contributing to the rise in cases
11/19/2019
Evaluating Building Internet of Things devices and systems
Make sure that it is truly commercial-grade
11/19/2019
Preparing healthcare facilities for a disaster
Hospitals must maintain continuity of patient care
11/19/2019
Seattle Children's Hospital closes operating rooms due to fungus again
The latest discovery of Aspergillus has closed 11 operating rooms after the mold was detected in three ORs and two procedural areas
11/18/2019
VA reorganizes police force after critical reports
One report also found the VA failed to develop adequate threat assessments and written policies
11/18/2019
Study: Copper hospital beds can kill bacteria
Copper beds in the ICU harbored an average of 95 percent fewer bacteria than conventional hospital beds
11/18/2019
Escalating workplace violence hits hospitals hard
Many healthcare facilities are increasing security measures to deal with the issue
11/18/2019
Legionella found in Va. VA healthcare facility
McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center found bacteria in cooling system
11/15/2019
Disinfectants struggling to kill C. diff bacteria
Clostridioides difficile is challenging hospital-grade disinfectants
11/15/2019
K9 units becoming more common in healthcare facilities
Combating violence is just one role for the trained dogs
11/14/2019
Brooklyn Hospital Center permanently loses some patient data after ransomeware attack
It's been six months since a veteran and double amputee opened fire inside the West Palm Beach VA Center
11/14/2019
Employees concerned about flooding inside Washington state hospital
One employee described human feces falling from the ceiling
11/14/2019
VA Medical Center increases security, but won't add metal detectors, after shooting
The changes were implemented within six months of an incident where a veteran and double amputee opened fire inside the West Palm Beach VA Center
11/14/2019
Hospital links babies' deaths to bacteria in equipment
Geisinger says equipment was used in measuring donor breast milk
11/13/2019
Listeria outbreak at healthcare facility linked 'ineffective fridges'
A cancer patient died after eating a pre-packed sandwich while he was being treated at Royal Derby Hospital
11/13/2019
Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Sterile processing room
Brad Keyes discusses regulations for sterile processing room
11/13/2019
Stanford Hospital will have a fleet of supply-delivering robots
Twenty-three of the robots will deliver linens, packages and medical supplies
11/13/2019
Strategies for sustainable grounds
Key sustainability considerations can enable managers to improve the performance and appearance of landscapes
11/13/2019
Drug-resistant bacteria 'growing problem' in Western Washington healthcare facilities
Four cases of a specific type of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii were recently found at a nursing rehabilitation facility
11/12/2019
Readiness matters with new CMS emergency preparedness requirements
The intent is still to establish criteria for healthcare providers and suppliers to better prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters.
11/12/2019
Lighting controls upgrade guidelines
Focusing on control strategies, space needs and planning principles can help managers create successful installations
11/12/2019
Tech can help healthcare facilities guard against disaster
Keeping health IT systems up and running is critical
11/12/2019
California hospital resumes services for elective procedures after wildfire
The hospital reopened Nov. 5 for full inpatient and emergency care services after having been evacuated for nine days
11/11/2019
Some suicide-prevention measures may not increase hospital safety
These measures can cost millions of dollars to implement
11/8/2019
Where patients recover may affect whether they return to the hospital because of infections
Patients returning home from the hospital were 38 percent more likely to return to the hospital with a linked infection
11/8/2019
CDC reports decrease in HAIs
Compared to 2015, all states but one performed better on at least two infection types
11/8/2019
Medical evacuees called the new refugees of climate change
Wildfire evacuation everyday reality in Northern California
11/8/2019
Steps for effective emergency preparedness
Make sure your risk assessment and scenario planning are up to date and accurate
11/8/2019
Research finds epidemic and pandemic preparedness lacking
Study suggests national governments should commit to take action to address health security risks
11/7/2019
Facility fee adding to cost of doctor visits
The purpose of the facility fee is to compensate hospitals and some medical practices for the expense of maintaining the facility
11/7/2019
Steps for updating the access control system
Build your team, evaluate possible integration with current systems and select the right product for your building
11/7/2019
State inspects hospital odor after employee complaint
Seventeen employees sought medical attention
11/7/2019
Balancing security and access in healthcare facilities
Certain challenges are unique to healthcare facilities
11/7/2019
Omnichannel communication: The frontier healthcare meeds to target
For digital channels of communications to thrive and boost member experience, payers must work on developing omnichannel capabilities
11/6/2019
Wildfires, power outages impact on healthcare in California called unprecedented
PG&E set up utility-scale generators at one of its utility substations in the Grass Valley area, creating a 'continuity zone' that is supplying electricity to 3,800 customers
11/5/2019
Study: Too many seniors are back in hospital for infections treated during initial stay
The most common type of pre-existing infection in the patients was C. difficile
11/5/2019
Keeping medical devices, services and data safe from cyberattacks
The cost of inaction, starting with something as obvious as email security, can be steep for healthcare organizations
11/5/2019
Uber to integrate with an EHR system for U.S. providers
A patient’s information, including name, phone number and pick-up address, will auto-populate in Uber ride requests
11/5/2019
Keeping UPS and generators prepared for emergencies
Testing, maintenance and monitoring help standby systems support operations in a crisis
11/5/2019
Creating a healthcare facility emergency plan
Emergency departments must develop disaster preparedness plans that go beyond natural disasters and utility failures, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
11/5/2019
Sensors help healthcare facilities keep track of hand hygiene
The system compiles data on whether an employee cleans their hands within 60 seconds of entering a room
11/4/2019
Study: Contact precautions in VA facilities don't curb MRSA
New study evaluated admissions from 74 longterm-care facilities
11/4/2019
Nurses want more security at Maine hospital after assaults
The nurses allege there has been no security presence at the hospital to assist nurses
11/4/2019
Going green can save healthcare facilities millions
Analysis estimated that hospitals in the United States create just under 34 pounds of waste per staffed bed per day
11/4/2019
The importance of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)
Because of this, healthcare facility infrastructures, maintenance machines and computer systems work overtime to accommodate all members within the organization
11/4/2019
Three trending security technologies
Drones, robots and advanced access control changing facilities management
11/4/2019
Cleaning plant shutdown could lead to surgical tool shortage
Several sterilization facilities that use ethylene oxide were shut down.
11/1/2019
CDC: Flu activity low, but growing
Louisiana and Puerto Rico experienced high flu-like illness activity for the week ending Oct. 19
11/1/2019
