Sustainable Operations - February 2015

Blackpool Victoria hospital to cut annual energy and maintenance costs by 274,000 pounds

U.K. facility to upgrade the heating and hot water supply in 10 plant rooms, introduce a reverse osmosis system and update the steam trap population

2/27/2015



Sarasota hospital designs wayfinding app

Visitors can get location-based content and tips for navigating hospital's main campus

2/27/2015



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



Arkansas hospital installs electronically tintable glass

Glass offers efficiency and an architectural statement about the organization's healthcare mission of Mercy Orthopedic Hospital

2/26/2015



Noise levels greatly influence patient comfort

An environment that produces fewer disruptions and allows for more consistent patient rest contributes to faster recovery and lower readmission rates

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



Achieving consistent high performance in hospitals requires monitoring

High-performing hospitals need guidelines and standards to help the facility operate to exacting criteria

2/25/2015



Cleanliness concerns cited at Fife hospital

Inspection of U.K.'s Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital found dusty equipment as well as trolleys and chairs contaminated by blood and body fluids

2/25/2015



U.S. Army medical facilities in Georgia to enhance electrical safety

Electrical system safety studies to include in-depth analysis of possible risk associated with arc flash hazards and short-circuit fault currents

2/25/2015



Boston hospitals battle to keep things running during winter storms

Facilities struggle with shortages of beds, linens and transportation

2/24/2015



Nursing home janitor and cook keep working without pay

Pair spent several days providing round-the-clock care for elderly patients after nursing home closes leaving residents behind

2/24/2015



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



Executives' strategies to improve hand hygiene

Executives offered novel concepts and suggestions to modify existing strategies

2/24/2015



New standards set for healthcare laundry facilities

Hygienically Clean Advisory Board introduces new testing protocols for certification

2/23/2015



Probe finds some Florida hospitals have infection control issues

Investigators found several Southwest Florida hospitals falling below national standards

2/23/2015



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



Handwashing leads to more worker dermatitis

Study reveals that dermatitis has increased 4.5 times in healthcare workers following increased hand-hygiene efforts

2/20/2015



Central UPS protects diagnostic imaging applications

A central uninterruptable power supply (UPS) approach offers cost and space savings

2/20/2015



South Carolina hospitals gear up for storms

Hospitals throughout the Greenville region prepared for the worst of expected storms

2/20/2015



Gundersen Health System hits net zero goal

Gundersen became the first health system in the nation to produce more energy than it consumed, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

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



Deadly tech hazards include patient-handling device errors

With the increasing use of advanced technology in hospitals comes an increasing risk of harm from misuse, according to a blog on the Forbes website

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



Illinois nursing home given plan to shape up

Champaign County Nursing Home in Urbana instructed to improve conditions, food service

2/18/2015



Top eight risks in healthcare industry

Healthcare risks in South Africa analysis similar to those of worldwide peers

2/18/2015



Dealing with water outages

Planning can help ensure an outage does not cause a hospital shut-down

2/18/2015



EPA developing proposal for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals

Proposal will address concerns over the lack of notification requirements for those facilities that generate, handle or transport 'universal waste' pharmaceuticals

2/17/2015



Outdoor LED signs can promote community

Signage can promote a facility's mission, enhance a sense of community and disseminate of new, timely information

2/17/2015



CDC, EPA develop guidelines for dealing with emerging pathogens

The guidelines can be extended to the use of supplemental UV devices

2/17/2015



Improving facility manager 'soft skills'

The ability to communicate the needs of maintenance staff to the C suite is key to promotion

2/17/2015



Internet of Things is turning the home hospital into a reality

The connected home is pivotal to the future of healthcare

2/13/2015



$75M gift to SF General to buy equipment and technology

Some of the money will be spent on smart beds, which can provide nurses with real-time patient information

2/13/2015



Kansas hospital hit by power cut-off scam

Salina Regional Health Center employee tricked out of $1,500

2/13/2015



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



Surgeries cancelled after burst pipe floods Ontario hospital

St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, and it's neighbors face days of cleanup

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



Preventing burst pipes Q&A

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, preventing burst pipes is discussed by several plumbing professionals

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



Walk-in behavioral health clinics gaining popularity

The emerging trend of walk-in behavioral health facilities is providing a potentially better alternative to an emergency room visit, according to an article on the Behavioral Healthcare website

2/10/2015



Floors can make, break first impressive

Cleanliness is a primary indicator of the overall quality of care

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



Sealed TV remotes in patient rooms cut infections

Traditional remote controls are difficult to clean and sanitize

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



N.J. hospital adds health tech support space

Morristown Medical Center offers resource for patients and staff to get help with health-related technology, apps, and fitness devices, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

2/9/2015



Hospital security measures effect flower deliveries

New safety and security guidelines from the CDC and Homeland Security are changing the way flowers can be delivered to hospitals

2/6/2015



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



Whole Foods may expand into healthcare

The popularity of standalone walk-in retail clinics continues to grow, with organizations often leasing space formerly occupied by stores

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



UCSF Medical Center offers robot-aided healthcare

Robots will haul blood samples, food, medication, biohazardous waste and other materials and supplies

2/4/2015



Louisiana health center to get solar-heated pools, self-powering elevators

$73 million Thibodaux Regional Medical Center to include a range of 'green' innovations

2/4/2015



Smart devices track hand-washing in hospitals

MIT Media Lab alumni are using smart devices to monitor hand hygiene among hospital staff and ensure compliance with WHO guidelines

2/4/2015



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



Lurie Children's Hospital gives kids virtual Chicago tours

Virtual trips take patients to Millennium Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry

2/3/2015



University students build a device to monitor hand washing in hospitals

Northern Arizona University students develop tech to curb hospital infections

2/3/2015



Key issues for healthcare facility condition assessments

There are many things to consider before launching the FCA

2/3/2015



Technology helps hospital visitors navigate indoors

Recent advances in location aware technology has opened up new possibilities for patient wayfaring

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



Gas leak kills two in Mexico City maternity hospital

A woman and child are killed and dozens are injured following fuel truck explosion

2/2/2015



Key differences between accreditation programs

Each accreditation organization conducts surveys differently

2/2/2015



 
 
 


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