Sustainable Operations - May 2019

W.Va. VA healthcare facility makes healthy, tasty food a priority

More than 80% of the the VA Medical Center menu items are made from scratch

5/31/2019



Telemedicine company launched to focus on infectious disease

Infectious Disease Connect will seek to reduce transfers and allow the treatment of patients with infectious diseases in their own communities

5/31/2019



W.Va. healthcare facility installs model train

The 980-square-foot display includes 220 feet of track, three trains on three levels, homes, buildings and other structures

5/31/2019



Sanitizer uses ultraviolet rays to kill viruses on mobile devices

Studies have found that 94 percent of cell phones used by hospital staff carry contaminants

5/31/2019



Study: Hand-hygiene signs not working in healthcare facilities

Researchers placed placards near soap and alcohol-based hand-rub dispensers in two hospital units

5/31/2019



Seattle Children's Hospital operating rooms shut down because of fungus

Air tests detected Aspergillus in several operating rooms and equipment storage rooms

5/30/2019



Top 10 HIPAA violations

How to avoid the most common issues

5/30/2019



Escalating workplace violence hits hospitals hard

Many healthcare facilities are increasing security measures to deal with the issue

5/30/2019



Ohio hospital honored for environmental practices

Health system has developed initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve management of electricity and gas usage and increase recycling of hazardous waste

5/30/2019



Report: Healthcare devices are becoming more vulnerable to cyberattack

Forty percent of the devices medical professional are using are IoT devices

5/30/2019



Healthcare facilities changing how they fight superbugs

Drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus, Enterobacteriaceae and Clostridium difficile have been overcoming antibiotics

5/29/2019



Hospital cybersecurity lagging due to talent gap

Half of organizations lack the security talent needed to remain secure

5/29/2019



Free tool helps develop facility risk assessments

FGI guidelines can help identify hazards

5/29/2019



New factor that can influence spread of legionella found

Legionella can proliferate less efficiently in amoebae if they contain endosymbionts

5/29/2019



Canadian hospitals hope to cure their lackluster food

Initiative also aims to elevate the role of food as an important part of healing

5/28/2019



The benefits of patient entertainment systems

Modern patient entertainment systems are a great way of putting patients first

5/28/2019



Enhancing operational efficiency, staff satisfaction and patient care with false alarm reduction

A healthcare facility's mission is easily deterred when safety and security systems aren’t performing at an efficient rate, specifically with alarm systems

5/28/2019



C diff. transmitted through non-critical items

Report says proper disinfection of tools is crucial

5/28/2019



Agencies investigating Legionnaires' case at McLaren Flint

Hospital officials acknowledging that a patient may have acquired the disease at the facility

5/24/2019



Study: Outside temperature impacts pathogens in climate-controlled ICUs

The outside temperature can influence the indoor temperature

5/24/2019



Security hired for Manitoba healthcare facilities after city bills for police time

Province announces two guards will be on staff at all times

5/24/2019



When to consolidate clinical testing (core) laboratories.

Increasingly, customers of clinical testing labs want a one-stop shop, particularly as large healthcare systems acquire smaller, more specialized independent practices

5/24/2019



Vancouver VA offers veterans freshly prepared meals

All cooking is done on site, on the same day

5/24/2019



Report says Florida needs to do more to fight disease, other threats

The state lags the national average in healthcare delivery

5/23/2019



U.S. disaster preparedness is slowing

Regional inequities in preparedness persist

5/23/2019



Clean water restored to Minn. hospital after power outage

A power outage released too much lime into the city’s water supply

5/23/2019



Calif. hospital looking at options after seismic retrofit funding denied

Hospital leaders have started a public relations campaign reaching out to a diverse group of community members

5/23/2019



An emergency declaration over Ebola could make things worse

The Ebola outbreak in the Congo is challenging the world's capacity to respond

5/22/2019



DC VA patient escaped psychiatric unit, charged with assault

The U.S. House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation

5/22/2019



Understanding high-efficiency rooftop air conditioning units

Companies nationwide could save roughly $1 billion annually in energy costs by replacing 10- to 20-ton RTUs with units that meet the high performance RTU specification

5/22/2019



One third of hospitals earn 'A' in Leapfrog's spring ratings

Of the more than 2,600 hospitals graded, 32 percent earned an "A"

5/22/2019



Heathcare facility floors getting more attention in infection control efforts

Disposable mops may cut down on contamination

5/22/2019



WHO worried about risk of Ebola spread

The death total in the outbreak is 1,105 and response teams are still investigating 310 suspected Ebola cases

5/21/2019



S.C. ER evacuated after man tears sprinkler head from ceiling

The patient also allegedly assaulted a hospital security member who tried to restrain him

5/21/2019



Environmentally friendly practices can impact landscaping

Focusing on equipment performance, water efficiency and chemicals good for operations, environment

5/21/2019



Officials at Chinese hospital fired over poor infection control after five baby deaths

The babies died after contracting an infection caused by Echovirus 11, a type of intestinal virus

5/20/2019



University of Texas new biocontainment care unit is prepared for the next Ebola outbreak

Specialty unit is among 10 U.S. regional centers for highly infectious diseases

5/17/2019



High-quality dining among trends in long-term care

Long-term care communities are also offering private and personalized apartments

5/17/2019



Illinois hospital nearly shut down by floods

Healthcare system wants the city to revamp water drainage system

5/17/2019



'Call to Order’ room service available at Ontario hospitals

Program first introduced in 2011 before being expanded to other facilities

5/17/2019



Study: Few healthcare workers know hand-washing guidelines

Study found that workers performed hand hygiene 35 percent of the time.

5/17/2019



Occupant wellness strategies make financial sense

The WELL Building Standard can guide facilities managers to implement financially meaningful health and wellness strategies

5/17/2019



VA finds officials covered up Legionella at Loma Linda hospital

Staff members said they were not informed of bacteria discovery

5/16/2019



Extinguish these myths about fire emergencies

Understanding how occupants react can help with preparation

5/16/2019



Security cameras in nursing homes present ethical dilemmas

Some say the safety precautions may do more harm than good

5/16/2019



NY dedicates statue to handwashing champion

Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis saw the benefits of handwashing in 1847

5/16/2019



State probe finds Duluth facility's neglect allowed resident to drink cleaning chemical

The facility failed to implement safety precautions, the report said

5/16/2019



Research finds healthcare facility privacy curtains can pose threat to patients

University of Michigan researchers looked at the prevalence of curtains contaminated in skilled nursing facility rooms.

5/15/2019



Michigan health systems collaborate on laundry service facility

Henry Ford Health System, Michigan Medicine and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System have formed a joint venture

5/15/2019



IU health lights up its ‘green side’

A $2 million investment will install thousands of energy-efficient LED lights

5/15/2019



Logansport Memorial Hospital working to avoid another cyber security breach

The only damage done was spamming emails to other employees

5/15/2019



Michigan Legionnaires' cases up in 2018, but death rates drop

The state experienced a 67 percent increase from 2017

5/14/2019



Candida auris cases confirmed in Maryland

Fungal infection has been confirmed in 12 U.S. states

5/14/2019



Common improper hazardous waste management practices

It is important for all healthcare personnel who handle hazardous chemicals or materials to be made aware of these improper practices and be trained accordingly

5/14/2019



Study finds disinfection devices in ICU sinks effective against superbugs

Researchers placed devices on sink siphons that applied heat and electromechanical vibration

5/14/2019



Robot lends a hand at Texas children's hospital

'Moxie' can drop off linens and supplies for patients

5/14/2019



Senator urges feds to declare emergency over Candida auris

Schumer is asking the federal government to allocate millions of dollars to fighting the fungus

5/13/2019



Experts fear disaster as Ebola outbreak threatens to escalate

Ongoing violence aimed at the Ebola response workers is undermining efforts to stop the virus' spread

5/13/2019



Incorporating duress signaling into a facility’s security plan

Hospitals need an easy and fast way for a staff member to send out a distress signal from any spot inside a facility or even in the parking lot

5/13/2019



Specific environmental strategies needed in infection control

World Health Organization publishes priority pathogens list

5/13/2019



Concerns raised that some new hospitals not built to prevent infection

Some members of Parliament say Scotland's hospitals are not being built to a high enough standard

5/10/2019



HHS releases healthcare cybersecurity best practices

Guidance includes 10 best practices for mitigating hacking threats

5/10/2019



Preventing hospital falls with slip-resistant grab bar surfaces

Studies have shown that slips and falls are a serious patient safety issue facing healthcare facilities

5/10/2019



Designing a holistic facilities management plan to protect medical devices

Hospitals can have 10 or more devices per licensed bed, many more than the number of laptop computers

5/10/2019



Candida auris cases in U.S. top 600

Illinois, New Jersey and New York have most of the cases

5/9/2019



Outbreak incident in Israel teaches value of infection control

Clean care key to dealing with health emergencies

5/9/2019



Healthcare cloud computing market to exceed $55 billion by 2025

Rising adoption of information technology (IT) in healthcare sector is the key factor driving healthcare cloud computing market growth during the forecast period

5/9/2019



California hospital gets half its energy from solar power

The system will generate 2.4 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean, renewable power per year

5/9/2019



Superbugs make hand-washing even more important

Annually, drug-resistant germs infect around 2 million Americans and kill more than 20,000

5/9/2019



Congo sets daily record with 23 new Ebola cases

A surge of cases often happens after attacks on the Ebola response

5/8/2019



Candida auris could spread to 13th state

There are hundreds of cases in surrounding areas

5/8/2019



Nurses at S.C. hospital feared for their safety even before shooting

Hospital leaders are pledging safety improvements

5/8/2019



AI can help close data gaps that can allow drug diversion

AI can identify hidden patterns in daily behavior — including time, location, pain scores, and more.

5/8/2019



Two Legionnaires’ cases reported at Chicago hospital

Mercy has begun flushing its water system, and will alter or replace water fixtures and place filters on sinks

5/7/2019



Levels of power reliability can meet varying facility needs

Strategy creates standardization and collaboration across the entire healthcare enterprise

5/7/2019



Hospitals are boosting hygiene practices to fight superbugs

One of the best ways to prevent ransomware attacks is to educate employees

5/7/2019



Legionnaires' disease found in facilities adjacent to California prison hospital

Tests found the bacteria in the water supply at a prison medical facility in Stockton and at two neighboring youth correctional facilities

5/6/2019



Flu season longest in 10 years

The U.S. has experienced 21 consecutive weeks of elevated flu activity

5/6/2019



Hospital safety evolves after historical St. Anthony fire

The fire killed 77 people and lasted just under two hours

5/6/2019



Baton Rouge nurse's death prompts demands for workplace safety

Advocates said the death indicates a persistent threat of workplace violence to medical workers

5/6/2019



Research says non-sporicidal wipes effective against Candida Auris

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of sporicidal disinfectants

5/6/2019



N.Y. facility's technology designed to decrease patient stress

Design team looked for ways to create a calming experience

5/6/2019



VA doesn’t plan to increase security after suicides

It's a balance between providing a safe and accessible environment

5/3/2019



Two reasons why ambulatory care facilities struggle with infection control standards

The Joint Commission highlights problematic standards for office-based surgery practices

5/3/2019



Can we build better airborne isolation rooms?

Measles outbreaks bring question to forefront

5/3/2019



Food service veteran expects continued heavy chef presence in hospitals

James McGrody, UNC Rex Healthcare, discusses industry and career

5/3/2019



Boston Children’s Hospital using Alexa to help parents and caregivers

Amazon asked healthcare facilities to test Alexa’s new HIPAA-compliant technology

5/2/2019



Cleaning robots could curb spread of 'superbug fungus' in Pa, hospital

Chambersburg Hospital has used UV robots since 2017 in the final step of the cleaning process

5/2/2019



Understand facility needs before implementing best practices

Views on 'best practices' may have to be rethought

5/2/2019



Location-based technologies: A complete infection control solution

With RTLS solutions, healthcare organizations can track hand hygiene compliance and noncompliance events

5/2/2019



Location-based technologies: A complete infection control solution

With RTLS solutions, healthcare organizations can track hand hygiene compliance and noncompliance events

5/2/2019



Calif. investigating Legionnaires' outbreak at prison hospital

One inmate has died and a second inmate tested positive for the bacteria

5/1/2019



Study: Hospital workers can unknowingly spread the flu

Infection control measures in hospitals may be inadequate

5/1/2019



Repeated wearing of clothes increases bacteria for healthcare workers

Level jumps fourfold when clothes are worn more than one shift

5/1/2019



Choosing IoT tools for green buildings

Facility managers can create smart buildings with a careful eye on product selection

5/1/2019



 
 
 


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