Sustainable Operations - January 2016
Study says well-fed bed bugs are harder to kill
Researchers found that bed bugs that were allowed to feed after being treated with insecticides had greater rates of survival
1/29/2016
Five moments when hand hygiene compliance needs to be a priority
Research shows every day one in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection
1/29/2016
Study finds C. diff. raises patient costs by 40 percent
Results showed that the infection costs an average of $7,285 more for each infected patient
1/29/2016
Queensland healthcare facility cuts costs via energy optimization
Robina Hospital saved as much as 364,154 kilowatt hours in four months
1/28/2016
Key control technology can enhance security in healthcare facilities
Physical key control and management systems can control the perimeter and interior doors
1/28/2016
Pedestrian traffic in Montreal healthcare facility parking lot raises safety concerns
The emergency exit is not designed for heavy volume of pedestrians
1/28/2016
New safety measures to be implemented to prevent suicide at Irish hospital
Anti-ligature products will be installed throughout the Waterside Hospital at Gransha
1/28/2016
California hospitals' water conservation efforts continue
Hospitals are largely exempt from state's water-reduction mandate, but still work to conserve
1/28/2016
OSHA gives Brigham & Women's list of ways to improve safety
A year after a doctor was killed inside the facility, some staffers have concerns about safety
1/27/2016
Va. healthcare facilities mobilized for winter storm
Hospital leaders meet with various departments to make sure things ran smoothly no matter what
1/27/2016
Aurora Health Care to invest $40 million in sports research center
Aurora will invest in Marquette University's Athletic Performance Research Center on its Milwaukee campus
1/26/2016
Providers respond as hospital violence incidents rise
Plans include moving any potential weapons away from a patient's room to additional training for security officers
1/26/2016
Mayo Clinic uses robots to fight Clostridium difficile bacteria
The stationary devices emit pulses of ultraviolet (UV) light that kill C. diff spores on exposed surfaces
1/26/2016
Q&A on eyewash station locations
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about eyewash station locations
1/26/2016
Idaho healthcare facility tests active shooter response
St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls conducted an emergency drill to practice an active shooter situation
1/25/2016
Understanding design's role in patient falls
A team from Texas Tech University decided to view fall phenomena from a biomechanical perspective, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
1/25/2016
A healthcare facility's wayfinding system should provide clear language for direction-giving
Consistent, simplified directions builds an interconnected system of communication
1/25/2016
BIM benefits for healthcare facilities management
Today’s data management systems lead to more effective life cycle management of building assets and equipment
1/22/2016
Oprah weighs in on paper vs. air debate for hand hygiene
Website spotlights a recent study in the Journal of Hospital Infection that tested three popular drying methods.
1/21/2016
Is your healthcare facility's security just on the surface?
Hospitals can’t afford to have security that looks good but doesn’t actually provide protection
1/21/2016
Healthcare facilities need physical safeguards for healthcare data security
Physical safeguards serve as a primary line of defense from potential threats
1/21/2016
Sustainable design concern return to front burner
Sustainability design used moved to the back burner partly because many of the movement’s tenets have now become baseline expectations, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
1/21/2016
Hospital security guards fired for removing violent patient from E.R.
When the guards restrained the patient — who had just shot a police officer and another guard — and forced him outside, he fell back and hit the pavement.
1/20/2016
Preparing skilled nursing facilities for emergencies
New survey data says some nursing homes are not as prepared as they should be for natural disasters and emergencies, according to an article on the Long-term Living website
1/20/2016
Q&A on fire extinguisher maintenance
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about fire extinguisher maintenance
1/20/2016
Tailoring pest management for different healthcare facilities
The pests ‚ like the patients — can be very different for each facility
1/19/2016
D.C. hospital patient's death after altercation with guards ruled a homicide
Two hospital security officers have been placed on leave pending the investigation
1/18/2016
Hospitals eliminating antibiotics from meal offerings
Concern about the livestock industry's overuse of antibiotics has led a number of health care institutions to start choosing antibiotic-free meat
1/18/2016
Strategies to decrease healthcare workplace violence
Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that from 2002 to 2013 incidents of serious workplace violence were, on average, four times more common in healthcare than in private industry
1/18/2016
New year's hot topics involve managing and mitigating risks
Healthcare facilities professionals have a range of physical environment issues to watch
1/18/2016
Healthcare facility standards support organizational goals
Advocate Health Care wrote its own flooring standards
1/15/2016
Children's hospital reviews security after parents OD
Mother dies after injecting heroin in 7-month old daughter's hospital room, father arrested
1/14/2016
Software can help connect healthcare facility's systems
Unconnected infrastructure can't give building operators, engineers and facility staffs data that can be used together to judge efficiency
1/14/2016
Q&A on suite entrance doors
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about suite entrance doors
1/14/2016
ECRI list of healthcare innovations includes medical device cybersecurity
Cybersecurity gained greater attention in 2015 after the Hospira Symbiq Infusion System was hacked
1/13/2016
Establishing a generator rental plan
A rental gives a healthcare facility a backup to its backup
1/13/2016
London hospitals install sanitizing door handles
Handle ensures users sanitize their hands as they open the door
1/12/2016
Access credentials among trends in healthcare security
Controlling access in a facility that is considered to be ‘open’ to the public is a challenging concept
1/12/2016
N.C. hospital recognized for energy savings
Improvements have the hospital on track to save $125,000 on utilities this year
1/12/2016
Four ways healthcare facilities can go green
Hospitals and healthcare networks can boost their sustainability to reduce waste and save money
1/11/2016
MRSA could cost healthcare facilities hundreds of millions of dollars
2017 Medicare rules will include MRSA in all reimbursement calculations
1/8/2016
Home-laundering of scrubs challenged
Readers of Outpatient Surgery magazine challenge regulations. common practices
1/8/2016
Bill takes aim at nurses' workplace injuries
Legislation would force employers to develop systems to reduce hazards
1/7/2016
Hospital conducts infectious disease drill
Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Maine, tests the hospital’s emergency operation plan
1/7/2016
Hospitals gear up for tougher infection battles
Safety efforts increased to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria
1/7/2016
Central utility plants support hospital mission
CUP is among the complex components in any hospital’s infrastructure
1/7/2016
Gun discharges in MRI at VA hospital
It was not clear what steps the hospital takes to prevent patients for taking metal objects into MRI rooms
1/6/2016
Creating better ES customer interactions
Environmental services professionals should be aware of their affects to ensure that they make positive impressions
1/6/2016
Hospitals update to stay relevant
Modernizing systems and investing in technology will be essential
1/6/2016
Benefits of implementing an electronic medical records system
Providers should remember three key factors when choosing a system for their urgent care center
1/6/2016
Initiative seeks to protect healthcare facility staffs against assault
NHS Protect, National Police Chiefs’ Council and Crown Prosecution Service partner to promote safety
1/6/2016
Legionella threats go beyond cooling towers
Facility managers of hospitals and longterm care facilities should be especially aware of Legionella
1/6/2016
Healthcare facility safety bill called a win for nurses
U.S. lawmakers introduce the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act
1/5/2016
The evolving role of the badge in healthcare facilities
Latest technologies support multiple access control applications on the same smart card
1/5/2016
Visual hacking a new threat to healthcare data
Visual hacking is a practice during which hackers capture data with a camera
1/4/2016
Healthcare facilities stepping up electronic security
HIPAA compliance has created the need for additional access control and video surveillance in sensitive areas of the hospital
1/4/2016