Facility Operations - September 2017
Fla. healthcare facilities rush to implement new regulations
Owners have until Nov. 15 to purchase generators and enough fuel to maintain temperatures below 80 degrees for at least four days
9/29/2017
Benefits of digital signage in healthcare
Digital signage within the healthcare facility can improve the patient, visitor and staff experience
9/29/2017
St. Bernards Cancer Center: Major referral hospital gets major makeover
MD-10 aircraft outfitted as mobile teching hospital
9/29/2017
Oldest patients more vulnerable during disasters
Nursing homes and other facilities are required to have preparation plans in place
9/28/2017
Hospital in Upper Keys reopens after hurricane damage
Mariners Hospital in Tavernier evacuated its patients ahead of Irma approached and the hospital’s first floor was flooded
9/28/2017
Florida nursing home deaths blamed on preventable chaos
Only one nursing home with a power loss is known to have caused multiple deaths
9/28/2017
Puerto Rico hospitals in dire straits after Maria
Storm has left hospitals flooded, strewn with rubble and dependent on diesel generators
9/27/2017
Nursing homes call Florida gov.'s emergency deadline impractical
Nursing homes ordered have generators capable of running air conditioning in place by Nov. 15
9/27/2017
Former ER nurse backs fired security staff
Mercy Mercy Hospital Springfield fired security and ER staff for 'patient care that was not up to hospital standards even in highly tense situations'
9/27/2017
Buffalo healthcare facilities serving food fresh from the farm
Hospitals, like restaurants, are stressing homegrown, locally sourced produce
9/27/2017
Florida governor gives assisted living communities 60 days to get generators
The facilities are also required to have enough fuel to enable them to maintain comfortable temperatures for at least 96 hours following a power outage
9/26/2017
HHS offers hurricane preparation guidance
Health information management is among the topics covered
9/26/2017
Most Florida healthcare facilities were ready for Irma
Despite Hollywood horror story, most other healthcare facilities in southern Florida were prepared
9/26/2017
Design changes are causing mold and moisture building failures
There is a relationship between the HVAC and building envelope design and performance
9/26/2017
Where healthcare laundry and infection prevention meet
A healthcare facility infection preventionist must navigate the intersection where healthcare laundry and infection prevention come together
9/26/2017
Florida nursing home where 11 died had emergency plan with no mention of air conditioning
The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills' plan created with copy-paste passages
9/25/2017
Emails show three Savannah hospitals backpedaled on hurricane response
Memorial Health agreed to house the medical needy
9/25/2017
HVAC experts suggest natural ventilation be allowed in most spaces outside of operating rooms
Natural ventilation is defined as the transport of fresh air through non-mechanical means, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/25/2017
New Orleans hospital patient infections linked to contaminated heater-cooler
Twelve patients at Children's Hospital in New Orleans contract rare SSI
9/25/2017
Florida nursing home deaths put focus on disaster planning
The new federal rule will require that nursing homes have 'alternate sources of energy to maintain temperatures to protect resident health and safety'
9/22/2017
Jacksonville-area hospitals responded to Irma with detailed emergency plans
Mayo Clinic staff, for instance, started preparing for the storm more than a week prior to experts saying the projected path would impact Florida
9/22/2017
Sewage leaking from Winnipeg hospital
A drainage pipe has been discharging raw sewage into the soil since at least spring
9/22/2017
Perth hospital considers enlisting smoking police
The six-month trial involves a dedicated security officer reminding smokers that the campus is smoke free
9/22/2017
Montana hospital water tests positive for legionella
The test was prompted after a patient tested positive for the bacteria
9/22/2017
State shuts down nursing home where 9 people died
The deaths are believed to be heat related, but still under investigation
9/21/2017
Tokyo hospital tracks equipment via RFID-enabled shelving
The technology identifies stock levels at each of its wards in real time
9/21/2017
Five years after Sandy, NYC hospitals may be ready for the next big storm
Hospitals in Texas were mostly prepared for Hurricane Harvey
9/21/2017
Second unit of Mayo food service workers vote to unionize
The workers voted by a 2-1 margin to join the union
9/21/2017
Hospital's $5.5 million asbestos problem causing safety concerns
Figure includes almost $2 million for a retrofitted air-conditioning system in the radiology department
9/21/2017
$2.5 million in medications could go bad without power at Florida clinic
The clinic serves 10,000 patients who are uninsured and working residents with chronic medical conditions
9/20/2017
9 dead at Florida nursing home left without air conditioning
Patients at a Hollywood Facility spent days in sweltering heat after Hurricane Irma
9/20/2017
Study says separating septic, aseptic operating areas unnecessary
No relevant differences were seen microbial concentration in the environmental air between septic and aseptic procedures
9/20/2017
Bacteria stays on scrubs even with antibacterial fabrics
New research shows hospital scrubs can easily be contaminated
9/20/2017
Hospital bars police officers from interacting with frontline staff following nurse's arrest
University of Utah Hospital updated its policy for police interactions the day after an officer arrested a nurse who refused to take a blood sample from an unconscious patient
9/19/2017
W.V. VA sends help to Hurricane Irma recovery efforts
The Beckley VA Medical Center has deployed a five-member team to Alabama
9/19/2017
Calibrated performance model created for hospital building
Model helps Barts Health NHS Trust assess proposed energy-conservation measures
9/19/2017
Solar power can transform healthcare in India
Solar systems at rural healthcare centers improving healthcare delivery
9/19/2017
Harvey floodwaters carry high levels of E coli, toxins
Precautions needed when returning to flooded buildings, public health experts said
9/18/2017
Florida assisted care facility sheltered in place without power for three days
As the indoor temperature climbed to the mid-80s, humidity made the hard-surfaced floors slick with condensation
9/18/2017
N.H. hospital locked down after man shoots mother dead in ICU
The active-shooter alert at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon forced evacuation
9/18/2017
Three reasons telehealth is revolutionizing outpatient recovery
A comprehensive transition program, which utilizes telehealth to engage patients as well as their respective caregivers, can help reduce readmissions
9/18/2017
Toronto hospital recognized for energy efficiency
Toronto Hydro awards Michael Garron incentive funding
9/18/2017
Why real-time ADT messages are the revolution of care management
ADT messages are lately becoming the cornerstone in care management as the go-to source of data, holding a wealth of valuable information that can affect point-of-care decisions
9/18/2017
Eight dead in Florida nursing home left with no A/C after Irma
The home's air-conditioning had been out since Hurricane Irma struck
9/15/2017
Irma forced evacuation of 30 hospitals
At least 278 assisted living facilities, 61 nursing home, and some 60 other healthcare facilities evacuated some or all of their patients
9/15/2017
Some Florida hospitals left without water, sewage service
Other hospitals across Florida have returned to normal operations
9/15/2017
Healthcare system launches app to support wayfinding
Kaleida Health app helps patients make it to their appointments on time
9/15/2017
Houston command center focuses on medical infrastructure continuity
The Catastrophic Medical Operations Center was established by the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council
9/14/2017
The future of violence response and emergency preparedness in healthcare
Several healthcare organizations have published information to assist security directors
9/14/2017
Workers push for metal detectors at Mass. mental health facilities
Taunton State Hospital and six other Department of Mental Health locations are included on list
9/14/2017
Maintaining building barrier protections
Energy efficiency is often one of the easiest ways to improve a healthcare facility's bottom line
9/14/2017
Naples hospital moves 450 evacuees to higher floors at downtown facility
More than 450 storm refugees from NCH employees' families and patient family members were moved
9/13/2017
Hurricane Irma evacuees come to N.C. hospitals
Greenville Health System has been asked to take four patients from a skilled nursing facility and from MUSC Health in Charleston
9/13/2017
Specific environmental strategies needed in infection control
World Health Organization offers first-ever priority pathogens list
9/13/2017
Microbicidal paint used in George healthcare facility oncology unit
The microbicidal properties were attractive given the compromised immune system of the patient population
9/13/2017
St. Thomas hospital suffers catastrophic failure
Hurricane Irma leaving many parts of the second largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands in shambles
9/12/2017
Tampa hospitals weighed evacuation options before Irma
Area hospitals prepared for all possibilities before deciding whether to evacuate
9/12/2017
Irma forces hospitals across three states to evacuate
At least 35 hospitals across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina evacuate patients or shut down
9/12/2017
Central Florida hospitals evacuated, locked down ahead of Irma
The majority of patients at Health First's Cape Canaveral Hospital will be transferred to other Health First hospitals
9/12/2017
Healthcare system launches virtual appointment effort
'Video Visit' expands on Aurora’s telemedicine offerings
9/12/2017
In better news, eclipse went off without a healthcare hitch
But hospitals still watching for foodborne or waterborne disease outbreaks
9/11/2017
How UVA Health System responded to the Charlottesville rally
University of Virginia Health System played a key role in caring for people injured during a white nationalist march
9/11/2017
EHRs and paper: The headaches of document management
The infographic offers statistics including information on how much paper-dependent practices waste time
9/11/2017
Utah facility well-stocked with medical supplies in case of disaster
Centralized location of medical products hub puts Utah in secure position
9/11/2017
Texas hospitals short of (usable) water
Beaumont's water pump broke, cutting off water supplies to the city
9/8/2017
Memphis, Nashville facilities take patients airlifted from Harvey
Federal agencies placed a National Disaster Medical System on alert
9/8/2017
Houston hospitals may not be back to normal for a month
The SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council estimates that nearly two dozen hospitals have evacuated patients
9/7/2017
Most Houston healthcare facilities withstand Harvey
Ben Taub Hospital's hospital-wide evacuation shrunk to only three vehicles
9/7/2017
Stronger security and disaster planning sending healthcare to the cloud
Experts say cloud platforms can be more secure than managed data centers
9/7/2017
Report says psych ward video cameras could save lives
Patient safety called more important than the privacy issues
9/6/2017
Restaurant-style dining coming to skilled nursing facilities
Facilities are letting residents weigh in on what — and when — they eat
9/6/2017
Faulty sink valve causes flood at Canadian healthcare facility
Leak happened in unit where patients recover from bone marrow procedures
9/6/2017
Harvey could financially hurt struggling Houston hospitals
The storm has forced hospitals to cancel surgeries, evacuate patients and contend with food and supply shortages
9/5/2017
Houston hospital abandons plans to evacuate patients
Ben Taub Hospital calls off attempts to evacuate patients after a series of delays
9/5/2017
Geisinger cutting sugary beverages
The move in the latest in the system's healthy eating program
9/5/2017
Germicidal technologies reduce hospital airborne pathogens
UV-C technologies can contribute to strategies for reducing HAIs and ARMs without adding to their resistance to medicinal treatments
9/5/2017
Tampa healthcare facility reviewing emergency plan in wake of Houston flooding
One of Tampa's biggest, busiest hospitals would probably be underwater
9/1/2017
Harvey forces healthcare facility evacuations, closures
Ben Taub General Hospital among those that evacuated its patients
9/1/2017
Keys to a healthcare cybersecurity strategy
Naming a CISO and maintaining a separate budget are two of the crucial elements
9/1/2017
Harvey highlights need for emergency plans
Dozens of healthcare facilities in Texas have had to evacuate
9/1/2017