Sustainable Operations - March 2015

Boston Children's electronic records system shuts down

A hardware issue related to storage shut the system down for several days

3/31/2015



Chlorine sewage treatment may be boosting antibiotic resistance

Early studies are showing that chlorine treatment may encourage the formation of new antibiotics that could also enter the environment, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance

3/31/2015



California senior facility's needs meant challenging fire sprinkler system installation

Project involved moving residents one story of the building at a time while work took place

3/31/2015



California hospital installs on-site fuel cell system

Cost-effective energy source provides up to 70 percent of electricity

3/31/2015



ES department can boost HCAHPS scores

Electronic work-request model can improve communication and patient satisfaction

3/30/2015



N.H. hospital embraces local beef for food service

Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro, is partnering with a nearby farm to bring local beef to its food service offerings

3/30/2015



Big Data can inform healthcare facilities plans

The information requires analysis to understand how it can shape change in facilites and other strategic plans, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

3/30/2015



Determining eyewash station requirements, placement

There aren't many locations that actually require eyewash stations

3/30/2015



Hospital reschedules surgeries due to dust on supplies

Light fixtures were recently cleaned in the instrument storage space

3/30/2015



Jersey City healthcare facility has 'rampant' rodent problem

Residents and staff report mice in resident rooms, hallways and cafeteria

3/27/2015



Q&A on electrical outlets and oxygen cylinders

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about electrical outlets and oxygen cylinders

3/27/2015



Cleaning duties 'not always clear' between nurses and EVS

A lack of clarity identified by NHS infection control inspectors in Scotland

3/26/2015



A third of Manitoba care facilities don't have sprinklers

Province says all facilities will have sprinkler systems in the next ten years

3/26/2015



Improving healthcare disinfecting practice

Barriers to overcome include germs' invisibility, staff concerns about disinfectant safety and damage to surfaces

3/26/2015



Antimicrobial limitations Q&A

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, the limitations of antimicrobial products is discussed

3/26/2015



Survey shows one in three hospitals showing rise in violence

Forty-six percent of the respondents reported increasing their security budgets in 2014

3/25/2015



Explore differences in how staff and senior management perceive risks

A gap in perceptions of the level of risk often emerges between the people closest to the danger and those at some distance

3/25/2015



Consistent cleaning and disinfection protocols creates safe patient environment

Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and shared equipment is an important step in preventing the spread of dangerous pathogens

3/25/2015



Computerized system can address preventive maintenance mistakes

A computerized maintenance management system and a preventive maintenance strategy can increase a building's life span, save money and reduce equipment downtime

3/24/2015



Senior living facilities customize laundry operations

Presbyterian Senior Living's 29 communities customize laundry based on the demographics of the residents and the constraints of a particular campus

3/24/2015



Input sought on increasing the allowable smoke compartment in hospitals

National Fire Protection Association proposing change for the 2018 revision of the 2015 edition of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code

3/24/2015



Ice damages Pennsylvania VA healthcare center

Ice and cold damaged the recently built community health center at the VA Butler Healthcare System

3/23/2015



Hazards found in Georgia hospital elevators

More than one-third of the elevators inside Doctors, Trinity and University hospitals, and on the Georgia Regents Health System campus, had at least one violation last year

3/23/2015



Nebraska Medical Center shares Ebola protocols

Nebraska Biocontainment Unit shares information on Ebola patient discharge, handling a patient's body after death and environmental disinfection

3/20/2015



Canadian hospitals praised for carbon footprint reduction

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare has been making headway on its energy reduction efforts

3/20/2015



Florida hospital responds to mold discovery

UF Health Shands in Gainsville finds mold in patient bathroom

3/19/2015



Design changes suggested after Australian nursing home fire kills 14

Coroner suggests doors and corridors should be constructed to enable rapid movement of beds in emergencies

3/19/2015



Improve patient ratings with a motivated ES staff

One-on-one coaching with staff members helps boast patient satisfaction

3/19/2015



Working in healthcare becoming a risky business

Healthcare workers in general, and ED staff in particular, face a huge risk of violence

3/18/2015



Hospitals preparing for every infectious disease

Potential cases of highly infectious diseases have left hospitals on high alert

3/18/2015



Adapting facilities for primary care needs

Health systems are adjusting their scale and size for contracting strength with insurers, access to capital or cost-efficiencies

3/18/2015



Technology just part of effective wayfinding

Statistics show that 80 percent of patients are not given adequate wayfinding information before they get to a facility

3/18/2015



Merging healthcare organizations need an operational efficiencies plan

A business plan of operational efficiency is a comprehensive, action-oriented system integration plan

3/17/2015



Monitoring technology can improve care, efficiency

Context-aware monitoring systems based on real-time locating system (RTLS) technology can offer such information as location of equipment and staff

3/17/2015



Intelligent building technology can trim hospital costs

Technology and data from building systems give facility teams information they can use to reduce operating costs

3/17/2015



California working on hospital violence standards

Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued a draft regulatory proposal that would require healthcare employers to develop workplace violence prevention plans

3/16/2015



Paint creates self-cleaning surface

Coating can be applied to clothes, paper, glass and steel and when combined with adhesives, maintains its self-cleaning properties after being wiped, scratched with a knife and scuffed with sandpaper

3/16/2015



Oregon hospital fined for mislabeling hazardous waste

Oregon Healthy and Science University was cited for not labeling, or labeling inappropriately, hazardous waste containers in its storage facilities

3/16/2015



British Columbia attacks on nurses blamed on lack of compliance

Every B.C. health authority has been penalized after violent incidents in their facilities

3/13/2015



Alaska hospital takes part in 3-day disaster drill

South Peninsula Hospital to simulate a mass casualty, mass fatality, partial evacuation and the creation of an alternate care site

3/13/2015



Case study: NHS Trust - Bath recycling

Precious metals recycling can boost the bottom line

3/13/2015



EPA updates hazardous waste pharmaceuticals standards

Disposing of pharmaceuticals regulated as hazardous waste posed a problem for facilities

3/13/2015



How healthcare facilities can minimize vulnerability to shootings

Risk management experts recommend that all healthcare facilities have a disaster preparedness and emergency operation plan

3/12/2015



Making the case for sustainability

Study refutes the belief that environmental sustainability measures increase operating costs

3/12/2015



Q&A on sleeping suites

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about sleeping suites

3/12/2015



Shootings raising safety concerns at hospitals

Death of a Boston surgeon was another in an increasingly frequent series of 'active shooter' incidents in U.S. healthcare facilities

3/11/2015



Wisconsin hospital has TV studio for in-house programming

Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints hospital produces and broadcasts game shows for patients

3/11/2015



Washington Court House hospital to upgrade its energy systems

Fayette County Memorial Hospital awarded $2.6 million in financing to assist in implementing its energy conservation and management program

3/11/2015



When to use low-moisture carpet cleaning

Low-moisture carpet typically refers to a method that uses no water or a very moderate amount of water

3/11/2015



Addressing flu and pneumonia at skilled nursing facilities

The only way to prevent an outbreak is by addressing all three primary transmission vectors at once: airborne pathogens, surface contact and person-to-person contact

3/10/2015



Study says germs lurking in waiting rooms

There's an increased risk of developing flu-like infections after a visit to the doctor's office

3/10/2015



Indiana hospital flushes water system after Legionella infections

Two infections at IU Health LaPorte Hospital lead the facility to flush its water system

3/10/2015



Surviving the Joint Commission survey

Results for any testing process are likely to be better with effective preparation

3/9/2015



Hospitals focusing more on patient comfort

Studies suggesting comforts mean more than fancy facilities

3/9/2015



U.K. hospital withholds loan payments over fire issues

Peterborough City Hospital withholds 1.4m-pound payment to private finance initiative

3/9/2015



At VA Hospitals, technology reduces nurses' injuries

The Loma Linda hospital is reducing the rate of lifting injuries by investing in equipment, training

3/6/2015



An infection control expert's week

An infection prevention and control nurse specialist at the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin writes of a 'typical' week

3/6/2015



Pest control in healthcare facilities

Locating, identifying and stopping infestations is key

3/5/2015



Sewage spill damages patient records, floods Australian hospital ER

Sewage spilled when a drain was blocked at the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital in South Australia

3/5/2015



N.C. health system steps up CRE screening, cleaning efforts

Carolinas HealthCare System screening for CRE, isolating infected patients and taking extra steps to decontaminate their rooms

3/4/2015



Power Purchase Agreements can help with facility infrastructure upgrades

A range of funding solutions, federal tax programs and many state and local incentives are available to help improve aging energy infrastructures

3/3/2015



Lifting injuries growing issue for nurses

Hospitals can prevent many of those injuries with special equipment to move patients

3/2/2015



Setting new standards for healthcare cleaning

There is a lack of conclusive evidence that previously suggested food-service levels of contamination relate to the prevention of healthcare-associated infections

3/2/2015



On-site laundry can have big impact on long-term care

Laundry rooms must also comply with certain design regulations to prevent the cross-contamination of clean and soiled linens

3/2/2015



 
 
 


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