Blogs - July 2017
Dozens of swastikas found in Long Beach hospital stairwell
Nurses at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center ask for more security
7/31/2017
Jury orders Olympus to pay hospital $6.6 million but rejects claims scopes are unsafe
Hospital must pay $1 million to deceased patient’s family
7/31/2017
Time for a checkup: Conducting hospital roof inspections
Regular maintenance will protect one of a healthcare facility's most expensive assets
7/31/2017
Bathroom doors removed after patient suicide at N.C. hospital
Investigation also found that staff members were not checking patients as they should
7/28/2017
Report: Healthcare facilities unprepared for next infectious disease outbreak
When the next outbreak hits, healthcare facilities should lead with their emergency management (EM) team.
7/28/2017
Combustible dust rule dropped in Trump deregulation push
The administration has dropped several potential workplace safety regulations
7/28/2017
Cutting costs in water management
CMS requires healthcare facilities to reduce Legionella risk in water systems
7/28/2017
Philadelphia hospital cleaners cited for state of bed railings
Doctor says fault is with design, not with environmental services
7/27/2017
Nurse pleads for more hospital security after attack
New bill would require safety plans for healthcare facilities
7/27/2017
Recognition first step in fighting violence in healthcare
Workers should be educated as to what the warning signs are
7/27/2017
Retail space gaining more importance in hospital settings
But there is still room to grow in this area
7/27/2017
Children's healthcare records especially vulnerable to cyber attacks
The healthcare industry may be more vulnerable to cyberattacks because of the wide variety of data
7/27/2017
Healthcare laundries evolve to deal with emerging issues
Laundries competing in healthcare will need to be more professional in their operations
7/27/2017
Black mold abatement underway at California hospital
Palm Drive Health Care District to pay for remodeling costs of Sonoma West Medical Center
7/26/2017
Life Safety Q&A: Locked exit doors from psychiatric unit
Brad Keyes continues the discussion on locked exit doors from psychiatric unit
7/26/2017
Wyoming healthcare facility among those affected by phone, internet outage
Outage caused by cut fiber optic cable about four miles north of Casper
7/26/2017
Sewage backup contaminated surgical instruments at VA hospital
Virginia healthcare facility forced to evacuate contaminated area
7/25/2017
Rise in dementia leads to new food service options
Program addresses residents' potential malnutrition issues
7/25/2017
Washington 'virtual hospital' provides second set of eyes on patients
CHI Franciscan's Clinical Operations Center in Tacoma monitors regional health system
7/25/2017
Glasgow hospital lauded for hygiene turnaround
Previous inspections at Hairmyres Hospital found issues
7/25/2017
Better cleaning and fewer antibiotics are cutting C. diff rates
Many healthcare facilities implemented stricter cleaning and infection control protocols
7/25/2017
The ABC of FHIR: Reinventing interoperability
FHIR was created with keeping the complexity and the sheer amount of healthcare data in mind and it takes a new, web-based approach to connecting discrete data elements
7/24/2017
Stanford Hospital union issues a cautionary tale
Workers claimed that healthcare system had high rates of healthcare-associated infections due to inadequate staffing and training
7/21/2017
Keys to cleanliness in an ambulatory care setting
Limited resources can make a standardized environmental cleaning program challenging
7/21/2017
Electrician's work transforms refugee hospital
Window films were added to make the hospital rooms cooler, more energy efficient
7/20/2017
Preparing for active shooter events in healthcare facilities
Hospitals should start with training employees to recognize and respond to dangers
7/20/2017
Fewer healthcare facilities planning emergency notification upgrades
Survey also indicates the authority to issue alerts is shifting
7/20/2017
N.H. VA hospital officials fired for safety issues
Staffers cite an operating room infested with flies and obsolete or unsterile surgical instruments
7/20/2017
Assessing potential utility problems and responses can help with CMS compliance
Planning for utility system failure is essential for patient care
7/20/2017
Hospital asbestos called 'a ticking time bomb'
BBC London has found 94 percent of hospitals in the city contain asbestos
7/19/2017
Healthcare facilities urged to develop systems to track security technology repairs
Maintenance issue is much bigger than most facilities realize
7/19/2017
Wyoming healthcare facility bracing for eclipse fans
Hospital preparing by shuffling around staff from its professional office building and stopping nonessential services
7/18/2017
Chicago area flooding, power outage force evacuation of hospital
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital transferred 70 patients to nearby facilities after losing power
7/18/2017
Infection rates key in Stanford Hospital, union conflict
SEIU says hospital's poor infection control practices jeopardize safety
7/18/2017
Study says bacteria adhesion does not depend on contact area size
Despite their spherical shape, the bacteria cannot be described as hard spheres when they interact with a surface
7/18/2017
Bronx hospital attack, puts focus on healthcare worker safety
What measures do hospitals take to minimize risk to their employees
7/18/2017
Healing from under your feet
How resilient flooring is helping fight hospital-associated infections
7/17/2017
Hand and surface cleanliness support prevention of cross contamination
Frequently touched surfaces can collect infectious pathogens
7/17/2017
HAI reduction program developed to support environmental services
Hospital improves infection control by educating housekeeping
7/14/2017
Wired hospitals using technology to drive efficiency
Health Care's Most Wired survey suggests there's room to further integrate systems
7/14/2017
Self-cleaning touch points can support infection control
Powered by light, the self-cleaning surface use mineral nanocrystals to create an oxidation reaction
7/14/2017
Stab-proof vests urged for staff at some Perth hospitals
New figures about 50 violent incidents reported each day
7/14/2017
ASHE announces 2017 award recipients
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering is recognizing members for improving the healthcare physical environment, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
7/14/2017
Building design and construction can impact patient safety
Buildings should be designed in a way that prevents patient injury
7/14/2017
Bomb scare at Dallas VA hospital just latest in history of troubles
Physician assistant sparked concern from colleagues for months before incident
7/13/2017
Guidelines help hospitals make drink options healthier
New South Wales Health has banned the sale of sugary beverages from its healthcare facilities, but Queensland makes it optional
7/13/2017
Healthcare facility design can impact infection control
Environmental services should participate in the design process
7/13/2017
Hospitals reviewing security after Bronx shooting
Shooting at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center resulted in death of one doctor and injuries to six other people
7/12/2017
Surface touch frequency & hand hygiene in the patient zone
A closer look at surface contamination and compliance rates
7/12/2017
Study says recurring C. diff infections up 189% from 2001 to 2012
Findings indicate multiple recurring C. diff infections place an increased burden on healthcare system
7/12/2017
Unions claim victory in Mayo food fight
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota announces a tentative contract agreement with Morrison Healthcare
7/11/2017
Heater-cooler contamination found to be more common than previously believed
Devices have been linked to a number of infections
7/11/2017
Three hospitals fail fire safety checks after London tower fire
Buildings at London's King's College Hospital, Sheffield's children's hospital and the North Middlesex Trust have been found to have combustible cladding
7/11/2017
Study says that understanding how microbes interact with hospital surfaces is key to infection control
Previously, few studies focused on the hospital room microbiome and whether the data might affect room cleaning
7/10/2017
Healthcare facilities striving for more creativity in the kitchen
Hospital chefs and food service workers networks submit themed recipes for annual contest
7/10/2017
Doctor opens fire at a Bronx hospital, killing one and wounding six
Disgruntled doctor was armed with an AR-15 rifle that he snuck in under a lab coat
7/10/2017
Study says even clean hands can transmit MRSA in the NICU
Hospitals urged to not rely on hand hygiene alone for protecting patients
7/10/2017
Hospital's sprinklers will not be fully installed until 2020
Inspectors highlighted fire safety failures at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary in UK three years ago
7/7/2017
Better cleaning contributes to fall in C. diff rates
Healthcare facilities are adopting stricter cleaning standards
7/7/2017
Wisconsin healthcare facilities affected by global ransomware attack
International cyberattack is having an effect on medical facilities here in Northeast Wisconsin
7/6/2017
Best surface cleaning options depends on many factors
Whole-room disinfection robots may be part of best practices for outpatient facility
7/6/2017
Canadian hospitals may have exposed 1,307 patients to hepatitis B and C
Some diabetic patients were potentially exposed during individual insulin training sessions
7/6/2017
Cutting infection risk in high-traffic areas
Public spaces contain her own infection-risk issues
7/6/2017
Superheroes drop in on hospitalized children in Virginia
Window washers dressed as superheroes Spider-Man, Batman, Thor and Superman
7/5/2017
Guide looks at hospitals' response to food insecurity
AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust explores the challenges of ensuring a population has access to healthy food
7/5/2017
Mass. nurses push for safety after stabbing
Hospital asking safety officials to examine security following attack
7/5/2017
Hospital staff searches 15 tons of hospital waste to find patient's necklace
St. Luke's Hospital in Phillipsburg apologized for losing the jewelry in the first place
7/3/2017
Study focuses on better patient room cleaning methods
Researchers are using human factors engineering to optimize performance and processes
7/3/2017
Welch hospital cladding checked after London tower fire
The cladding on Singleton Hospital in Swansea will be removed and inspected as a precaution
7/3/2017
Training key to curbing hospital violence
Workplace violence injuries increased by 55 percent among nurses during this time period from 2012 to 2014
7/3/2017